100 Days
by Kodama
Summary: Kate Austin is a master thief in the underworlds of a post-apocalyptic London. With the whole world against her only one man stands by her side... Skate fiction, rated for swearing and violence.
1. September 23

Look down the bar from you. The lonely faces that you see. Are you sure this is where you want to be?

**London, September 23 2034**

Kate Austin's hideout was the top floor of a derelict apartment building in the east end of the city, at the old docks, by the river. The five floors below hers were destroyed, but the stairs that led to the top were mostly intact, safe enough if she kept close to the walls. She had no electricity for lights and lit no candles. Dust had settled in great swathes. Damp crawled up the walls. The window frames held no glass. It was cold and it was depressing, but Kate felt it suited her.

What appealed to her most was that no one knew that she lived here. No one knew that anyone lived here.

She sat on the sill of her glassless window looking at the city that lay stretched before her and smiled. From up here Kate felt like she owned it. She knew every street and every building, all the dark and narrow alleyways that ran like arteries through this once magnificent metropolis.

Closer to her home were more apartment blocks, all built in the same style as her own. All of them were stripped bare, windows smashed and looted. The streets were littered with glass, bricks and twisted metal. Burnt out cars were piled on top of each other and weeds burst through the concrete in the city's wastelands.

Kate shivered against the bite of the autumn cold, watching her breath as it turned into steam. She smiled again. She'd done a good job tonight. One of her most audacious to date. She'd broken into the city hall - an impossible task for most - and stolen an object that would be sorely missed. Because that's what Kate did… for the right price.

She hadn't always been a criminal. She'd arrived in London when she was just fourteen. Another faceless runaway in a city full of abandoned children. She'd had to learn quickly how to look after herself and it was petty crime that had kept her alive, kept her belly full. Thievery had come easy to Kate, she'd done well at it. She'd never been caught. She had her own ways of travelling around the city. She scaled walls, climbed over rooftops. She was silent and stealthy and could defend herself if she needed to.

As she grew older, she began to earn a name for herself in the city's underworld, though few knew what she looked like. Or that she was a woman. She became a became one of the city's most notorious criminals. She was able to enter the impenetrable walls of the central sector – the barbed wire compound in the heart of London where the bloated elite lived, and where they gorged themselves on the suffering of the poor. No one was able to breach those walls and evade the guards that patrolled it. She was the only one who had figured out a way in. And she was paid highly to do just that.

She despised most of her clients, but then there were very few people Kate did truly like. She stole for them: money, drugs, weapons. She spied for them, gathered information that would be used for extortion or blackmail. She grew more hardened, she became colder and she learned to trust no one but herself. No one got too close.

It was the only way to survive in a world that had gone to hell… a world where no one was innocent. But Kate wasn't thinking of all of that now. It had been a successful night, and tomorrow would be payday. She deserved a drink.

She made her way out of the docks where she lived and headed towards the slums. As she got closer, the sound of the river receded; replaced by the hum of human activity. The air became thicker with the stench of the shanty town and Kate held her breath against it. She rounded a corner onto a busy road. It was buzzing with life here, children played football on the roads, even though it was late in the night. Men and women gathered in groups around fires, warming themselves on the flames and their whisky. The food shacks were busy, the occasional cyclist, riding an old, rusted bicycle would weave in and out of the crowds, ancient bells ringing out warnings to those who got in their way. Sinister looking men hung in the shadows making deals and hatching plans.

Kate pulled her hood up over her head, scanning the streets and keeping close to the shadows. The price on her head was high. She always felt nervous around crowds, never felt safe. It was harder to pick out faces, harder to hear danger coming. She had too many enemies to let her guard down. She made her way quickly to John Locke's bar.

Locke was one of the few people Kate considered a friend, and one of the few that knew who she was, though they had barely said a few words to each other at any one time since they'd first met many years ago. He had given her a home when she'd needed one as a teenager, a gesture she would never forget. He was also the number one source of information in the city. He knew everybody's business, every deal made, every contract taken. John demanded a high price for the right information. He had helped Kate with many of her own jobs in the past, though he never asked her for money. He was also Kate's fence; buying and selling her stolen goods.

Although John made good money in his underground activities, his bar was a dive, bursting at the seams with the city's lowlifes. The putrid smell of stale beer permeated the walls and the air was thick with tobacco smoke. The ceiling sagged so low she could easily run her fingers over it as she moved across the room.

She reached Locke's bar just as it began to rain and pushed the doors open. It was quiet inside, a stark contrast from the noisy street and Kate welcomed the change. She automatically scanned the room. Three men sat around a table in a corner, hunched close together and talking quietly. On the other side of the small room an old man sat, smoking a pipe and quietly muttering to himself as he spun an empty bottle of ale on the small table beside him. Kate took a stool at the bar and ordered a beer. No John tonight, she noticed. Instead a young boy who couldn't have been older than thirteen was serving. Probably another runaway that John had taken in.

She drank some of her beer, wincing at the taste. It was warm and stale, but she swallowed down some more. She settled into the bar stool and thought about her next job. It was at the Alpert mansion in the central sector. Her client wanted a folder – an unusual request. Usually her jobs involved items of more obvious value. The mansion was heavily guarded, but Kate had been scouting the area for a few weeks now. She knew the guards movements and she knew where the moonlight cast shadows for her to hide in. She had seven more days to prepare.

As she took another sip of the foul tasting beer Kate felt an ice-cold blast of air hit her from behind as the doors to the bar were thrown open. That was the moment James Sawyer Ford walked into her life.

She heard him before she saw him. Heavy boots thudding against the oak-panelled floor, a confident stride.

He slumped into the barstool next to hers and ordered a whisky from the kid. She studied him out of the corner of her eyes. Dirty hands, bloodied at the knuckles, trembling slightly. His wet dark blonde hair a curtain obscuring his face. His sodden clothes clung to his chest. He wore a heavy coat, and a sheathed knife in his belt. Drops of rainwater fell from him, leaving small pools that darkened the wood around his boots.

As if sensing her looking at him, he turned towards her, his piercing blue eyes meeting hers. Kate almost gasped at the sudden eye contact but her face wouldn't betray her shock: it remained blank, a cold shield. Kate wouldn't admit it for a long time, but it was in that one look that she become immediately intrigued by James Ford, instantly wanted to know more about him. He felt familiar to her, though she knew she'd never laid eyes on him before. She saw something in him that echoed an unspoken feeling that had always been present inside her, though at that time, she couldn't have said what it was. Right now he was a stranger to her, and Kate was always on guard against strangers.

So she stubbornly held his gaze for a few beats, and narrowed her eyes. It was only when his eyes, that had been flashing like steel softened a fraction, that she had to look away. Hostility she could handle, anything approaching friendliness disarmed her. Her heart beating she quickly knocked back the last of her beer and got up to leave.

She felt him grab her wrist. Suddenly furious, she whirled around and fixed him with a cool glare. 'Let go now,' she said.The command had been spoken quietly, but fiercely. Her anger seemed to make him relax a little. Whatever had been making his hands shake was temporarily forgotten. He threw up his hands and shot her a wide smile. 'I was just going to offer you a drink,' he drawled back, his Southern accent betraying his roots, his eyes lazily looking her up and down appreciatively.

She rolled her eyes, then looked back at him for a few moments, suddenly paranoid. Her mind raced wondering if he knew who she was, if he had been sent to spy on her, or to hurt her.

She turned her back on him again, ignoring his offer and quickly left the bar, throwing the door open to the rain beaten night and creeping swiftly through the shadows of the city.'Great talking to you,' she heard him shout sarcastically at her retreating figure. She made her way home, her arm still warm from the grasp of his hand and her back burning from the gaze that she knew had followed her until she'd left his sight.


	2. September 30

**September 30 2034**

That night at the bar played on Kate's mind all week. She couldn't shake the feeling that something significant had happened. She was supposed to be focused on the Alpert job but instead she had started to make discreet enquiries about him around town. She didn't think it would be too hard. There weren't many Americans in London. Not after the Last Ship had come in.

The information she gathered was conflicting. She heard from one that he was an assassin, from another; a traveller, a city guard… she even heard that he was the Black Rat, an unflattering nickname that had been given to Kate herself by the people of the slums, named after the only living thing that could travel in and out of Central freely. Kate had to hide her smile when she heard that. One rumour spoke louder than the others, though. That he was a Blade. She chose to ignore that one.

Frustrated, she'd eventually resigned herself to speaking to Locke. The one person she knew would have the answers she was looking for, and the one person she didn't want to ask. John could see right through her. He'd ask too many questions and Kate didn't even want to ask _herself_ why finding out more about the man was so important.

She'd gone down to Locke's place in the morning and found him behind the bar, drying beer glasses with a filthy dishcloth. She sat opposite him and nodded a greeting. He raised an eyebrow at her. She rarely sought him out unless for business.

'I'm looking for… some information,' she said, meeting his eyes casually on her last words, pulling her unruly hair away from her face.  
'Go on,' John replied as he held up a surprisingly clean beer glass to the light, looking at it intently for marks.  
'There's an American. He was in here a week ago. Southerner. Six foot, maybe taller. Blonde … cocky.'  
John placed the glass on a shelf behind him and turned round to look at her.

Kate couldn't help but burn under his intense gaze, but if John noticed her discomfort, he didn't let on.  
'Ever heard of a man named Sawyer?' he said after a while, reaching for another glass, watching her closely for a reaction.  
Kate felt her shoulders sag and her heart sink a little, and she felt ridiculous for it.

Sawyer was the name of the leader of the Blades… mercenary scum as far as Kate was concerned. His name was famous in the city, and never spoken kindly on this side of the barbed wire.

The Blades had once worked for the people of the slums. They had been a disorganised rabble, but honourable, and the people felt safer when they were around. They had been fierce enemies of the Central dwellers and protectors of the poor. They had once been greeted like celebrities when they were seen in town. They were fed on the house, drinks were bought for them in every bar, the city prostitutes gave themselves to them for free. But that had all changed when Sawyer had taken over.

Kate had followed the story closely at the time. He'd joined the mercenaries three years ago and had quickly risen through the ranks. It was said that he had murdered Jack Shepherd, the former Blades leader, though that had never been proven. After Shepherd died, Sawyer had been appointed the new leader and the rest was history.

Under Sawyer's orders, the Blades began taking contracts from the other side through Ben Linus, a high-ranking commander in Central. It was a treachery that no one in the slums could forgive. He had thrown out those he had considered too soft, or weak. The process to join was now brutal and the training merciless. Sawyer had moved them to a new base, an old townhouse facing the compound gates. They were rarely seen in the slums anymore.

In the absence of the Blades, a new fear had fallen on an already miserable population. The people felt abandoned, vulnerable and scared, and for the first time in years, whisperings of revolution could be heard in the bars, at the dinner tables, on the streets - rumblings of a new war.

Kate hated the Blades more than she hated the men and women who lived in Central. At least they had chosen a side.

She frowned and nodded her thanks at John and left the bar, heading home to get ready for the Alpert job, forcing all thoughts of Sawyer from her mind.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

It was nearly midnight. The huge mansion lay ahead, sitting behind an immaculate moonlit lawn. The grass before it was peppered with apple trees that threw twisted, elongated shadows across the lawn. Two guards patrolled the front of the imposing building and Kate knew there were two more at the rear. Inside there was just three, and six manor staff. She wasn't worried about them. Her route to the office where the folder was, was mostly unmanned - except for one soldier, permanently stationed at the door. Kate rarely used violence on her jobs, but she knew she'd have to make an exception this time.

Timing her movements she ran stealthily across the lawn from tree to tree, keeping low to the ground, her dark clothes blending in to the night. She reached the shadows nearest to the gravel driveway and waited for the guard closest to her to turn away. As soon as the opportunity came, Kate took it and sprinted round to the back of the manor, jumping into the shadows of a magnolia tree close to one of the back doors. She saw two more guards further down, too far to hear or see her. If she was going in, it had to be now. Ignoring the door, a far too dangerous route, Kate expertly threw her grapple hook up on to a third level window and shimmied quickly up the rope. When she reached the sill, she allowed herself a quick look down. Everything was quiet and the guards continued their routine movements. Quietly, Kate jimmied open the tiny window and pulled herself through.

She found herself in a small bathroom, an exquisite room of white marble floors, mosaic walls and golden taps. It never ceased to amaze Kate how differently the people lived in Central to those of the slums.

Kate had studied the layout of the Alpert mansion and knew the office lay down the corridor to the left, and then the second door around the corner. She crept over to the bathroom door and slowly turned the handle. She stepped through, leaving the door open for a quick escape. She quietly made her way over to the corner and looked around. It was as she expected. The door was guarded.

Kate silently reached for her club. She breathed in and out, once, twice, she poised her body. And then she pounced. She closed the distance between her and the guard in a split second, and swung her club hard across his temple. He went down instantly without so much as a gasp. Searching his unconscious body, Kate found a ring of keys in his belt and unlocked the office door.

She dragged the man's body into the office and shut the door behind her.

She was in.

The room was painted dark green, with carpets to match. The furniture was antique, dark mahogany. Bookshelves lined one wall, all fully stocked. Kate ran her finger along the row of spines as she moved slowly across the room, the moon lighting her beautiful face, pale and emotionless. She headed towards the padded desk by th e back window. She took a seat at the desk and waited a moment, listening for any sound. The mansion was silent, all she could hear was her own steady breathing.The folder she had been assigned to steal was in one of the bottom drawers, underneath a false panel, exactly where she was told it would be. She slid it out quietly and closed the drawer. She wanted to open it there and then, to satisfy her curiosity as to what could be so valuable in the papers the folder held, but that would have to wait.

She left the office, stepping over the unconscious guard and retraced her steps back to the bathroom. Crouching on the sill she looked down at the ground looking for the two guards, but she couldn't see them. A cold shiver of fear ran down her spine, but she forced herself to ignore it. There was no sound. No alarm had gone off, and she couldn't hear voices. Everything appeared normal, but for the absence of the guards. _They could be changing shifts early_, she told herself, _could be checking out some other noise around the front_.

She had no choice but to quickly shimmy back down the rope. Landing with a thud, she froze for a second, waiting for any noise or movement. All was quiet.

Not wanting to wait any longer Kate made her move, she ran, rounded the corner and slammed hard into something. Her blood ran cold.

Somehow Kate knew exactly who it was before she saw him. She slowly lifted her head and looked up. Sawyer. Standing unmoveable as a rock, looking back down at her.

Her mind raced as a thousand thoughts competed to be heard in her mind. _What are the Blades doing here? Going to have to stab him. Run! Why is this son of a bitch smiling?_

One thought rang louder than the rest. She had to run. She couldn't get caught. Central had been after Kate for years and never found her, she had humiliated them, stolen from them, interfered with their politics. They would execute her, publicly, as an example to others.

Kate's eyes met Sawyer's, hers wide with fear, his dancing with surprise and amusement.  
'Let go,' she said fiercely.  
'I'm not touching you,' he replied, looking down at her, smiling arrogantly.  
She looked down and realised with mild surprise that it was true, he wasn't touching her. But she still felt held by him.

She made to run but he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her roughly against the wall, moving his body in close to pin her in place.  
'Uh uh, Freckles, not so fast,' he said quietly. He held one arm across her collarbone and used the other to search her. He pulled out the cream-coloured folder and held it up, his face breaking out into another wide smile.

'Well, well, well. Looks like we got ourselves a thief,' he said, holding up the folder and turning it round.  
Kate struggled to get free, but Sawyer pushed his arm harder, holding her in place with his body.  
'What are you going to do?' Kate said, looking around fearfully. 'Where are the guards?'  
'I sent them away,' he said.

He looked at her sharply before slowly moving his arm off her until she was free. Kate didn't move. Sawyer watched for a while before he held out the folder for her take. She looked at it, then back at him.  
'Is this a trap?' she said.  
'Are you going to take it or ain't you?' he said, ignoring her question.

Kate shakily took the folder from his hand, breaking eye contact. Although he'd released her he still stood close, so close that Kate could feel the heat of his body on the cold night. 'Lucky for you I was here,' he said after a moments silence.Kate met his eyes again, her brow furrowing. Had he sent the guards away for her? Had he done it so she could escape? And then she remembered who he was. A heartless mercenary and a traitor. She felt the cool ice fall over her face, composing her features into steel, as she regained the control that she'd temporarily lost in his presence. She quickly grabbed her club and swung it at his kneecap. She was running before he hit the floor. She heard him swear as he went down, and she could have sworn she heard genuine laughter following her as she disappeared into the shadows of the night.


	3. October 1

**October 1 2034**

Sawyer leaned back languidly in his chair, resting his boots on the back of the desk in front of him, as he half-listened to Ben Linus' panic-fuelled rant. He nodded absentmindedly as he looked past him, and out of the huge window behind. It was raining. It always was in the city. Sawyer had never gotten used to it. The ceaseless rain that painted the sky a permanent grey. It ran now in tiny rivers down the glass, blurring his view of the city below.

He felt a twinge of pain from his bruised knee, which forced a hint of a smile across his lips.

He couldn't say why he'd helped her. But if he hadn't Kate would probably be dead by now. Sawyer and three of his men had been sent to patrol the Alpert place. Sawyer had thought it unnecessary at the time, but Ben had been adamant, and so he'd gone. Kate couldn't have known about that though, wouldn't have counted on the extra guards, so when he'd seen her - almost invisible but for the glint of her grapple - crawl into the Alpert mansion, he'd sent his men to take the guards inside. And then he'd waited.

It had been a week since the night of the bar, and she'd never been far from his thoughts. It wasn't that she was beautiful. Sawyer wasn't exactly starved of the attention of beautiful women. It was something else, something he wasn't yet ready to verbalise.

A few cautious questions later and Sawyer had discovered her name. _Kate_. He nearly spoke it out loud there and then in Ben's office.

No one knew where she lived, no one knew who her friends were. It was like she didn't exist, as if she was just a rumour. The less he discovered, the more he wanted to know. Sawyer had even gone back to the bar a couple of nights later, telling himself he was just there for the beer. He'd tried speaking to the man who worked there. Bald bastard knew something, Sawyer was sure of it, but he didn't push it, not that day.

And then there she was. Climbing through the bathroom window of the Alpert mansion… on his watch. He recognised her instantly, even though he could barely see her. He could have turned her in. She could be executed for just being this side of the wall. But he didn't, he…

'What are you going to do about it Ford?' It was Ben. His cold, placid voice bringing Sawyer back to reality.

Sawyer returned his attention to the man. He knew what he was talking about, same thing he always talked about.

'It was him,' Ben went on. 'He came in here, _again_, broke in to one of our houses, _again_, stole from us _again_… He's making a fool out of us, Ford. So I'll ask you one last time… What are you going to do about it?'

_Black Rat_, Sawyer thought, _that name don't suit her_. He lifted his feet of the desk and pushed his thoughts of Kate out of his mind. He slowly rose from the chair and stood before Ben. The professional mercenary. His thoughtful frown replaced by a confident smile.

He took a few steps towards the shorter man and looked down at him.'Think I might have found a way to fix your little rat problem, boss.'

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

It was after midnight. Cold winds from the river whipped around Sawyer's body making him shiver as he walked through the slums. He rarely came here. Too many angry faces, too many enemies. But he'd had to get out of the townhouse tonight.

Any other night he would have gone into Central. He had all the right papers, he could come and go as he pleased. Have a drink in the Savoy, a walk by the Serpentine, dinner in a warm, clean restaurant. Instead he'd come here.

She lived here, somewhere. In amongst the filth, the wretches, the criminals, the crumbling buildings… Kate lived. He shook his head, a physical attempt to get her out of his mind. _You're going soft, Ford_, he told himself, _got to stop thinking about her_.

He walked without purpose, without destination and without realising, he had walked straight to Locke's bar. He stood outside for a few moments, looking in through the smeared window. It was heaving with customers and Sawyer could hear the muted sounds of laughter and rowdy conversation. _Wonder if she's in there now… Dammit Ford!_

He stood for a while, arguing with himself, before finally giving in. He headed towards the bar, angrily throwing the doors open as he came in from the cold. As soon as he walked in, the conversations in the room hushed. Sawyer could feel the angry glares burning his skin, but he stubbornly took extra slow steps as he walked up to the bar. He took a seat, staring straight ahead, his face set like stone. After a few tense seconds the conversations around him started up again, though quieter now, and Sawyer felt himself relax a fraction.

He'd gotten used to the hostility he was met with in the slums, and he knew he deserved much worse. He knew what the Blades had once meant to these people…

Sawyer watched Locke through narrowed eyes as he served a drunken old man at the other end of the bar, his mind working to think of the best way to get him to talk. But he didn't have to. When he looked up, Locke was stood in front of him, a smile on his serene face.

'I'd save my breath if I were you,' John said, no hint of malice in his voice.

'I don't know what you're talking about,' Sawyer shot back casually.  
'It doesn't matter what you say,' Locke went on, 'I'm not telling you anything about her.'

Sawyer looked at the other man, trying to read him, but Locke was a closed book.

Sawyer spoke again, less confident now, his voice quieter. 'Can you at least tell me where I can find her?'  
'No,' John said simply, the smile gone from his face. 'Now why don't you just turn around, and walk out of the door. You're bad for business,' he added, gesturing around the room at the hardened faces that were now all looking their way.  
Sawyer looked around before turning back to Locke.  
'Well seeing as I've come all this way,' he said, smiling and full of false bravado, 'I might as well stay a while. I could do with a drink.'

He watched John, waiting for his reaction, and almost laughed out loud when he saw a flicker, a flash of concern cross the other mans face. But he wasn't prepared for what Locke said next.  
'I wouldn't do that if I were you… James.'

Sawyer was out of his seat in a second as he grabbed Locke's shirt, pulling him roughly towards him, his eyes feral and furious.

'How the hell do you know my name?' he growled fiercely.  
'I think you'd better let go of me,' John replied, his demeanour calm, though he was gasping for breath as Sawyer twisted his shirt tight around his neck.  
Sawyer saw two stocky men out of the corner of his eye get up and take a few steps towards him. He looked back at Locke, his mind racing. Finally he let go, shooting him a look of disgust as he left the bar.

As soon as he was out of sight, out in the cold air, he leant against the wall and bent his body, resting his hands on his knees, as if he'd been winded.

James. It had been a long time since he'd heard that name.

But then, when he looked up again, _she_ was there. Still a way off in the distance, but headed his way, as if he'd conjured her in to reality from his overactive mind. Locke quickly forgotten, Sawyer dove into the nearest alleyway and pressed himself into the wall, craning his head around the corner to watch her approach.

She kept close to the walls, he noticed, close to the shadows. Her slim form clad in a tight fitting black hooded top, and dark jeans that clung to her athletic legs before disappearing under a pair of black lace-up boots. She walked as if she didn't want to be noticed, her eyes facing down and her shoulders hunched forward, as if trying to disappear into herself. But to Sawyer she looked proud, graceful and fearless… a stark contrast to the filth and despair that lay all around her. It was impossible for him to understand how a woman like her could keep a low profile. But she had, for a long time.

He chuckled under his breath as he thought of how this one woman had outsmarted the whole of Central, time and time again. This was the woman that everyone in the city was talking about, he thought, irrational pride sweeping through him, the woman that had been the thorn in Ben Linus' side for so many years.

As she drew closer Sawyer forced himself to tear his eyes away. He pressed himself back to the wall again, and waited for her to walk past. After a few seconds she came into view. Sawyer froze, but she carried on walking without a pause. She made no sound, her footsteps completely silent.

After a minute, Sawyer walked out of the alleyway and watched her retreating figure. As soon as she rounded a corner, he quickly set off after her, wincing at the sound of his own heavy footsteps. He reached the corner and turned but she was nowhere to be seen. He carried on walking down the street.

She'd been headed towards the docks, Sawyer realised. No one lived there anymore. At first it had been too dangerous, later, too devastated. A ghost town of stripped, skeletal skyscrapers.

Defeated he stopped walking, glad he at least had a lead, but still disappointed. He turned around and let out a startled shout as he saw Kate, her club raised up over her head, ready to hit him with it for the second time in two days.

In a split second Sawyer launched at her, tackling her to the ground. He fell on top of her hard and threw her club across to the other side of the street.  
'Why are you following me?' she asked fiercely, struggling in vain to free herself.  
He looked at her beautiful face, at her green cat-like eyes, proud and determined.

'I don't know,' he said after a while, surprising himself with his honesty.  
She stopped struggling and looked up at him. After a minute that seemed to last an eternity she nodded slightly, as if accepting his answer. He nodded back, cementing their silent truce.

'Will you get off me now?' she asked coolly.  
Sawyer jumped up sheepishly and an awkward silence descended between them. Unsure of what to do, he extended his hand to help her up. She looked at it for a few minutes before taking it cautiously and allowing herself to be pulled up.

'Why didn't you turn me in the other night?' she said, quickly letting go of his hand and shaking the dust from her clothes.  
'Same reason I followed you tonight,' he said, looking away.  
When he looked back up he saw her watching him closely.  
'I know who you are,' she said, after a while.  
Sawyer smiled widely. 'That means you've been asking,' he shot back.  
He saw Kate react as she realised her mistake and he chuckled.  
'I know who you are too,' he said after a beat, his smile disappearing.

Another heavy silence fell between them. The thief and the mercenary, caught in a face off neither of them had been looking for. The streets around them still, unspoken words suspended in the space between them. The air crackling with electricity.

'You shouldn't be here,' she said after a while, almost a whisper.  
And he knew she was right, he shouldn't be here, should be in the townhouse drinking with his men, or screwing some girl from Central, anywhere but here, with her. He worked for Ben. He owed his _life_ to Ben.

His heart a little heavier, he nodded.  
'See you around Sawyer,' she said quietly, not meeting his eyes.  
He stole another look at her, trying not to look at her soft lips, sure that if he did he wouldn't be able to look away.  
'Yeah,' he said, as she began to walk away, 'See you around Kate.'


	4. October 2

_**October 2 2034**_

Sawyer didn't wait to watch Kate walk away. He turned around, slowly retracing his steps back the way he came, the world suddenly coming into sharp focus. He barely knew her, they had barely spoken, but the connection he felt to her was already strong enough that he could feel it stretching as they walked their separate ways.

He hated it.

It had already begun to turn his life inside out. He couldn't do what Ben wanted him to do, and he had no idea how he was going to explain it. It meant he now cared what happened to her, and he wouldn't be able to stand by if she was caught. Already the thought of her doing another job in Central filled him with dread, she'd got away with it so many times, but her luck couldn't last forever.

He walked wearily, mentally exhausted and physically drained, through the sleeping slums. He just wanted to go home, get some sleep, some peace for a few short hours.

Loud voices shook Sawyer from his thoughts. He stopped for a moment to listen, and quickened his steps when he heard a high-pitched scream. When he reached the end of the street, he ducked behind a huge pile of rubble and metal debris that lay by the side of the road.

Central Soldiers. Six of them.

The sight of them sent Sawyer's mind into overdrive. They were rarely seen this side of the wall and whenever they were it meant trouble.

An old man reduced to his knees was on the ground outside his dilapidated home. A woman, her face aged beyond her years, was crying loudly and clinging on to one of the guards, begging them to stop what looked like an interrogation. Sawyer watched as the guard callously struck the woman across the face, sending her crashing to the ground.

Sawyer was no stranger to violence. He practiced it himself without blinking an eye, but the sight of the wretched old couple being beaten and humiliated by the younger, stronger troops made his blood boil. He moved out of the shadows, but before he could take another step, the sound of a gunshot pierced the cold night air.

The old man instantly dropped to the ground, his body crumpling in a heap on the filthy, sodden ground. For a moment, everyone on the street froze. Sawyer looked at the scene before him in shock, anger churning in his stomach.

A loud, inhuman wail broke the eerie calm of the moment as the old woman dropped to her knees and threw herself on to the body of the dead man.

Sawyer shouted at the soldier as he walked towards the scene, his legs propelling forward as if on automatic. The guard who had made the shot whipped around to face him and held up his still smoking gun, aiming it at him, but Sawyer kept striding towards him.

'Take one more step and I'll shoot,' the guard shouted.  
Sawyer heedlessly continued his approach, running the last few steps as he drew his arm back and punched the soldier in the face, the familiar feel of bone cracking underneath his fist. The guard was thrown back to the ground, the force of Sawyer's blow knocking him out cold.

Sawyer felt something hard crack against the back of his head, knocking him off balance and sending him crashing to the ground. He quickly rolled over, turning to face his attacker. He was met with the sight of five eager guards, hatred in their eyes, all aiming their guns directly at his head.

'Shouldn't have got involved…' said one of the troops, a glint of recognition in his eye as he walked menacingly towards Sawyer, a mean smile on his brutish face.He stopped inches away and spat on the ground. '…mercenary scum…'

It was the last thing Sawyer heard before the man whipped the back of his pistol against the side of his head. He felt a blinding flash of pain… and then complete darkness.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The first light of the new day shone through Kate's window as she rolled over on to her side. She hadn't slept last night, her overactive mind denying her even a moments rest. She dragged herself up to her feet and walked over to the window, picking up a coat from the back of a chair. She pulled herself up on to the windowsill and wrapped the coat around her, pulling her knees up to her chest as she looked down at the city below.

The sky was grey, matching her mood, and fog was draped like curtains across the city, clinging on to the rooftops and sweeping over the river. She could barely make out the towers and spirals of the centre.

She rubbed her eyes and leant back, allowing herself to think about the night before. She didn't know why it had been so hard to walk away from Sawyer, or why every step she took added to a foreboding feeling that made her want to run right back.

Her eyes drifted across the dusty room, before landing on the folder from the Alpert mansion, which still lay unopened on her table. She moved her eyes away and got up, walking over to her makeshift kitchen to make some coffee. As the dark, bitter liquid boiled in its tin cup over a small gas fire, Kate found herself gazing at the folder again. Taking her coffee, she walked over to the table and sat down, tapping her fingernails rhythmically against the surface. Finally giving in to her curiosity, she snatched up the folder and opened it.

On the first page was printed list of names.

_Hugo Reyes  
__John Locke  
__James Ford  
__Sayid Jarrah_

Kate recognised three of the four names on the list. Sayid Jarrah was a known activist and freedom fighter. He was her only other friend in the city aside from Locke, and Kate had also done some work for him in the past. Most recently an arms deal, just a few weeks back. She'd seen Reyes around the slums and was surprised to see his name on the list. Kate didn't know him well, but from what she did know, he kept himself to himself. He'd once been a Blade… before Sawyer had thrown him out.

Kate looked at the list for a while before turning the page, shocked when the first thing she saw was a picture of Sawyer, clipped to a profile. Her eyes widened as she read through it.

_James Ford, aka 'Sawyer'_

There wasn't much information, his age, weight, hair and eye colour, country of origin, a copy of his Central admittance papers.

She unclipped the photograph and held it up between her fingers. It looked like he hadn't been aware of the picture being taken. He stood in the doorway of a building. Kate recognised it as the townhouse where he lived. He was looking at something out of the shot to the left. He held a cigarette in his hand and wore the dark, military-style uniform of the Blades.

She looked at it for a few minutes before slipping it into her back pocket and flipping through the rest of the contents of the folder. Each of the names on the list had a profile, some more detailed than others. Kate wasn't surprised to see that Locke's held the least information.

Kate closed the folder and looked out of the window again, the bad feeling that had been lingering in her stomach since she'd left Sawyer growing with every minute. She couldn't understand why his name would be on the list. All of the others she could rationalise for being enemies of Central. She shook her head, wondering at her concern and cursing herself for caring. Whatever it meant, it had nothing to do with her.

She rolled up the folder, stuffed it into her coat pocket and walked out of her room to the dilapidated stairs. She swiftly descended the five flights to the ground floor and made her way to Locke's bar. John was her contact for the Alpert job.

When she arrived inside the bar, John looked up and beckoned her to go through to the office in the back. She crossed the bar and went through to the room, taking a seat at the chair by John's desk. Kate had been in here many times over the years, it was here John met all his business acquaintances. It was tiny, barely enough space for the table and two chairs that it held. A small safe squatted in the corner, and the walls bore crooked shelves, weighed down with books and papers from floor to ceiling. A small oil lamp in the corner lit the room, giving it a feeling of warmth, despite the cold in the air.

After a minute John walked in and took the chair opposite her. Kate slipped the folder across the desk and in turn, John passed over an envelope. Kate opened it, quickly checking the money before putting it into the inside pocket of her coat.  
'Nice doing business with you,' Locke said amiably.  
'You're not going to tell me what this is all about?' Kate asked, keeping her tone light, gesturing to the folder.  
Locke looked at her, raising an eyebrow. She rarely took any interest in her assignments and her gentle probing of Locke had not gone unnoticed. Embarrassed, she got up and headed towards the door.

'Kate.'

She turned around to see John looking back at her expectantly.  
'Sure you haven't forgotten anything?'  
Kate looked at him, confusion written all over face, until the realisation hit her. The picture of Sawyer, she'd taken it out without thinking. She burned under John's gaze as she reached behind her and pulled out the photograph. She put it on the table and quickly headed for the door again, desperate to get out of the room.

'Kate,' John called again. She stopped, her back to him, waiting for him to speak, her fingers wrapped around the door handle.  
'He was arrested last night,' John said warily. 'Taken into Central. Friend of mine saw it from his window. Whole town's talking about it.'  
Kate prayed that what she was feeling inside wasn't written all over her face for her old friend to see. She gave him a terse smile of thanks and headed out of the room. This time Locke didn't call her back. She walked through the bar and outside on to the street, her mind racing.

She was torn, not sure whether to seek Sawyer out, not sure what he would think of her if she did. The chances were he'd be fine. He had friends on the inside, Kate thought bitterly, he could look after himself.

She spun on her heels and headed back to the docks, willing herself to forget about him. Trying to convince herself that she didn't care.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Sawyer woke up that morning on a hard bench, in a cold cell. The first thing he felt were waves of pain crashing through his head. He held his hand up to the wound on his temple, wincing at the pain his touch gave, the events of the previous night flooding back to him in an instant.

He wearily sat upright and tried to focus on his surroundings. He was in a small room, empty except for the hard bench he sat on. He got up and walked over to the metal door on the other side. There was no door handle, must be bolted from the other side he figured. He banged on it a few times, shouting in vain to get the attention of whoever was on the other side. After a few minutes he gave up, the pain in his head forcing him to stop.

He turned around and crossed over to the bench on the other side of the room. When he stood on it, he was able to see out of the small window high on the wall to the city outside. By examining the view, he realised he was in the old telecommunications tower, at least thirty floors up. He sat back down, resting his back against the wall and waited.

He wondered again why Central soldiers had been in the slums the night before, and had a horrible feeling it had something to do with Kate. Her latest raid on Central had been the last straw for Ben, Sawyer had seen it in his face when he'd vowed to do something about it. It wouldn't surprise him if Ben had taken matters into his own hands.

After a few hours, the tension was unbearable. Sawyer just wanted to get it over with… whatever it was they were going to do to him. Assault of a city guard was punishable by flogging, but pain didn't scare Sawyer. He'd almost welcome it, if it meant he could get out of the cell.

He lay down on the bench and closed his eyes, willing sleep to shorten the long hours of his confinement.

Hours later, when the sky outside had begun to darken, and the room's sickly glow faded into dark shadows, Sawyer heard the clank of metal on metal as the bolt on the other side of the door was pulled back. It opened and Ben walked in, brisk and business-like.  
'Please, don't get up,' he said, motioning to Sawyer as started to rise. Sawyer ignored him and sat upright, pulling on his boots.  
'What the hell is going on?' Sawyer snapped. 'Get me out of this cell.'  
'Just a few questions, Ford, and then I'll let you go.' Ben replied calmly, as if the situation was nothing out of the ordinary.

The door opened again and a heavy-set man with long, grey hair came in, and unfolded a chair, placing it opposite Sawyer, before leaving the room again, without saying a word.

Ben stepped forward and took the seat, his intense, cloudy blue eyes never once leaving Sawyer.  
'You've caused me a lot of trouble today, Ford. I had to pull a lot of strings to organise your release.'  
'And here was me thinking you didn't care,' Sawyer drawled back sarcastically.  
'Why did you attack my men last night?' Ben asked quickly, dismissing Sawyer's words.  
'_Your men_ shot an unarmed man like a dog in the street,' Sawyer growled, refusing to back down.  
'Since when did the welfare of the slums become your concern?' Ben asked coolly. 'I seem to remember it was you who made their miserable lives just that little bit worse, not too long ago.'  
Sawyer looked away. He didn't have an answer. He'd been asking himself the same question all day.

'What were you doing in the slums last night?' Ben asked, staring intently at Sawyer as he waited for his answer.  
'Couldn't sleep,' Sawyer said dejectedly, his exhaustion taking over. 'Thought a walk would clear my head.'  
'A walk. In the slums,' Ben said, more a statement than a question.  
'Yeah,' Sawyer drawled. 'Thought I could take in the scenery.'

'Why are you lying to me, James?' Ben asked impatiently, his voice taking on an air of menace.  
Sawyer's eyes flew up at the other man, fighting the urge to throttle him. He breathed in sharply and stood up, walking over to the door.  
'Are we done here?' he asked, his voice coming out low and thick.

Ben stood up from the chair and walked over to where Sawyer stood by the door.

'You're free to go,' he said simply, opening the door and looking at Sawyer from over the top of his glasses. Sawyer looked at him suspiciously before taking a few steps out and into the corridor. He turned back to Ben, knowing the shorter man wouldn't be able to resist a parting shot, and he didn't disappoint.

'One more thing before you go,' Ben said. 'I'm taking you and your men off the Black Rat assignment. Your services will no longer be needed.'

The way Ben looked at him made Sawyer shiver, as if the other man could see right through him.  
'No problem,' he said, trying to sound casual. 'This mean you're giving up?' though he already knew the answer.  
'Quite the opposite. My men are going to do the job that you, and yours, were incapable of. The orders out. Every troop in Central is out there now. And they are not going to stop until he is found and justice is done.'  
Sawyer's blood ran cold and he tried not to let it show on his face. He walked away, not trusting himself to speak another word.

He made his way down to the ground level and finally reached the open air. He walked wearily through the centre of town, down the ghostly, manicured lanes, past the proud statues that stood on every corner, to the gates of Central that led out into the slums.

The guards that patrolled the gates looked at him suspiciously, not bothering to hide the hostility in their faces, but they pulled back the huge doors and allowed him out to the other side. Sawyer's grand, imposing townhouse lay right opposite, and not for the first time, he cursed himself for his decision to move the Blades here. Right on Ben's doorstep.

He walked into the house, through the extravagent hallway and up the stairs into his room. The house was quiet. His men either out on assignments or catching up on much-needed sleep. Sawyer threw his boots off into the corner and sat down on his bed, resting his head in his hands. He hadn't felt this helpless in a long time.

Suddenly he heard a small thump and a scratching sound coming from outside of his window. Jumping up quickly he pulled a hunting knife out of its sheath in his belt and took a few steps towards the window, trying to keep his footsteps light. He heard the scratching again, louder now and then a small figure came into view. Sawyer dropped the knife, sending it clattering to the floor. He stared open-mouthed at the slim figure that was silhouetted in his window frame. The last person he'd expected to see. The only person he _wanted_ to see.  
'Hey Sawyer…' Kate said casually, though slightly out of breath. '… I …uh…was in the neighbourhood…'


	5. October 3

**A/N: A big thank you to Leif of Rohan, BrilliantInsanity and GossipGirl17, your reviews mean a lot to me.**

**-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --**

**October 3 2034**

Sayid Jarrah walked hurriedly past the gates of Central without so much as a glance upwards. He pulled his coat up closer around his neck as he braced himself against the cold. He swore under his breath, as he turned into an alleyway and the wind blasted his body with relentless icy gusts. It was after midnight and he was late, and Sayid was never late. Rounding the corner he came to the road leading to John's bar. The area was unusually quiet for the time of night. The people of the slums were hidden tonight, frightened and anxious behind their useless locked doors.

It had been one of the darkest days Sayid had witnessed in years. The Central guards had been out in force since the previous night looking for the Black Rat. He just knew her as Kate, and it was integral to Sayid's plans that she was not found.

There had been interrogations on the people who knew next to nothing. The stubborn were beaten, those that had been resistant, or perceived to be obstructing their cause, had been killed in the streets, and in their homes. The guards had come again in the morning. Horror stories crawled out of every corner of the slums. There had been a riot in the north where over twenty men and women had been lost. Central troops had set fire to a local priest's house in the west, its flames spreading through the terraces and destroying every dwelling on the street, the families inside wiped out.

A part of Sayid was almost glad... Maybe this was what the people of the slums needed, he thought. He'd been trying to stir them for so long, trying to help them to help themselves. Maybe now they would fight.

He arrived at the bar and opened the door. It was busy inside, though no one in the room was here for the beer tonight. The atmosphere was tense and oppresive, the huddled drinkers inside spoke bitterly, in hushed tones of the day that had passed. Sayid caught John's eye across the bar and swiftly crossed the room into the office in the back. After a few moments John followed, closing the door behind him and taking a seat.

'What is the situation?' Sayid asked, getting straight to business. He didn't like dealing with Locke, it was only out of necessity.  
John reached into a drawer, pulled out a folder and handed it to him wordlessly.

Sayid opened it and saw the list on the first page. He felt a jolt of shock when he saw his name there, even though he'd expected it.  
'So they know,' he said, his voice calm.  
'They know,' John replied simply.

'Sawyer…' Sayid said thoughtfully as he flicked through the pages. 'Why is his name on this list?'  
'I was hoping you could tell me,' Locke replied, raising his eyebrows.  
'I have never spoken to him,' Sayid said shortly. He closed the folder and passed it back to Locke. 'We need to move, sooner than planned,' he said. 'We can't wait anymore… have you spoken to Kate?'  
'No,' Locke said. 'Not yet.'  
'Where is she?' Sayid said, getting up to leave.

John sighed heavily. 'I think she's gone to try and end all this,'  
'What do you mean?' Sayid asked suspiciously.  
'It's nothing for you to worry about.'  
'What is going on, John?'

'She'd have heard about the Central raids by now,' Locke said. 'It's her they want… for now. She knows that. She'll want to do everything she can to make sure no one else gets hurt in her name.'  
'You think she's going to hand herself in?' Sayid asked, his voice rising.  
'I think she's going to try,' Locke replied, the calmness in his voice doing nothing to sooth Sayid's irritation.  
'Then why are you still sitting here?' Sayid asked angrily.  
'Because,' Locke looked up at him and smiled. 'She won't get very far.'

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Kate smiled, amused at the look of shock on Sawyer's face, and pleased with herself for having caused it, but in a split-second, his expression turned to one of panic. He took two heavy steps towards her and grabbed her by both arms, unceremoniously pulling her in and marching her into the darkest corner of the room. He quickly went back to the window, his eyes darting left and right on the streets below.

Bristling, Kate stepped right out of the corner and into the centre of the room. She knew she hadn't been followed and no one saw her come in, she hadn't been careless, she never was. She dusted her arms where he'd touched her as if shaking him off. She wanted to say something sarcastic, but stopped herself, quickly remembering why she'd come.

It had been one of the worst day's of her life. The murdered man Locke had told her about was just one of many. As the day went on, violent rumours poured out of every corner of the slums, each one making Kate's heart sink lower. All the different stories she heard had one common theme. They were looking for her. She had caused this.

As Sawyer looked out the window, Kate noticed a deep cut and a large bruise on the side of his head. Other than that he looked fine, though slightly shaken, and Kate couldn't help but feel relieved. She turned away and looked around, taking in the surroundings of the bedroom.

The room was simply furnished, but it was a palace compared to where Kate lived. There was a cabinet in the corner, a small wooden table and two chairs, an antique shelf overloaded with books, a bed that looked like it would collapse if you sat on it and a small rug in the centre of the floor, its true colours hidden beneath years of dirt and grime. In contrast to the basic room, an exquisite chandelier hung from the ceiling, a sharp reminder of a time gone by. Kate wondered why he'd chosen this room of all the rooms in the house. It couldn't have been the largest. Maybe he liked the view, she thought wryly, casting a dark glance upwards at the central sector, peeking grandly over the rusty metal gates.

'What the hell are you doing here?'  
She turned around to see Sawyer, apparently satisfied that she hadn't been followed, facing her, disbelief written all over his face.

'Wasn't easy,' she said lightly. 'The slums are crawling with Central guards.'  
Sawyer sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He pulled shut the shabby curtains and walked over to the table in the corner, lighting the oil lamp and taking a seat.  
'Yeah,' he replied, calmer now, 'I'll give you one guess why.'  
But Kate already knew.

'That's why I'm here,' she said, not meeting his eyes. 'I'm the one they want. People are getting hurt… killed. I don't need anymore blood on my hands.  
'Sawyer looked at her through narrowed eyes and Kate had an uneasy feeling that he was reading her mind. After a moment he got up and walked over to the cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of whisky and a shot glass, took them back over to the table and poured himself a drink. Throwing it down his throat, he poured himself another.

'Got anymore of those?' Kate asked, pointing to the glass. It would probably be her last drink for a while, she thought grimly. Sawyer smiled, seemingly amused at his own bad manners. He got up again and took out another glass and poured her a drink. Instead of holding it out he placed it on the table in front of the empty chair.

Kate crossed the room and sat at the table. A silence fell between them as she took a small sip of the whisky. It burnt a path down her throat and into her stomach, and bolstered her slightly, calming her frayed nerves. She'd never been one to feel guilty for anything. Anyone she had stolen from, or hurt, she felt had deserved it. But now the guilt was eating her alive. She never thought it would come to this.

She looked up to see Sawyer watching her closely, though he still didn't speak. The silence had shifted uncomfortably and Kate felt awkward under his gaze.

'So they didn't kill you then?' she asked, breaking the heavy quiet.  
'Guess not,' he drawled lazily.  
'Perks of the job, right?' When Sawyer looked away Kate felt a small victory. She hated Central, she wanted to hate Sawyer for working for Central. But she wanted him to hate it more.

'Why did you do that?' she asked, quieter now.  
'Do what?' he said, his voice bitter.  
'Why did you attack the guard last night?'  
'Why are you really here, Kate?' Sawyer snapped.  
'I told you why I'm here.'  
'I heard what you said. If you wanted to turn yourself in, you wouldn't have come here. To me.'  
'Don't pretend like you know me,' Kate shot back irritably.

But deep down, she knew he was right, and knowing that only made her resent him more. She stood up and headed over to the window, wishing she'd never come to his room, not wanting to face the reason she had. She hesitated, looking through a crack in the curtains at Central, trying to draw the strength from inside her. It should be easy, she thought, less then ten steps across the road to the gates. Ten small steps, five small words… It should be easy. Breathing in a deep, shaky breath, she pulled back the curtain.

'Wait.'

The sound of his voice took her by her surprise, as if she'd forgotten he was there.  
'Wait a minute, Freckles.' He got up and walked over to where she stood, stopping only inches away from her, his presence shaking her fragile determination.  
'You think it's that easy?' he said, his voice low. 'You just walk on over there, throw up your hands and this will all be over?' He shook his head at her and pulled back the curtain slightly.

'This war's been coming a long time, and you know it. This is just the beginning. You want to help the people of the slums? You can't do that from behind bars. Or when you're dead.'  
Kate looked through the crack in the curtains at the grimy, wet streets below. Rain had begun to fall. The only people on the streets were Central guards, hovering around the entrance. Just then the gates opened and Kate counted at least twenty guards come through. They walked like a rabble, nothing like the organised force they believed themselves to be. They were hired on the force of their brutality, not their brains. Kate had never seen a kind face among them. They all looked the same to her. She shuddered as they split up into groups of five and headed in different directions into the slums.  
'I'm one person, Sawyer,' Kate whispered. 'I can't help them anymore than they can help themselves.'  
Sawyer looked away from her, walked back over to the table and poured himself another drink.

After a few moments he spoke again, though he couldn't hide the hesitation in his voice.  
'What if you weren't alone,' he said.  
Kate couldn't help but feel a spark of anger in her stomach.  
'You,' she laughed, bitterly. 'You want to help me? You want to help the slums?' She shook her head in disbelief, annoyed by his hypocrisy. He'd caused the people this side of the wall nothing but misery, and now here he was, trying to play the hero.  
'I don't give a damn about the slums,' he snapped back.

Kate looked at him suspiciously. She opened her mouth to speak, but he answered her question before she could ask it.  
'I don't want your money, if that's what you're thinking.'  
Kate sighed and walked back over to the table, standing against the wall.  
'So what do you want, Sawyer' she said tiredly.

He didn't answer. She hadn't expected him to, but he didn't look away, either. The seconds of silence seemed to stretch out like hours, as they fought a battle without words. His eyes softened a fraction and Kate suddenly felt acutely aware that she was alone with him, in his bedroom, in the middle of the night. And the way he was looking at her made her want to run for the window.

In the next second a loud crash came from inside the house. Sawyer and Kate both jumped to their feet. Sawyer grabbed a gun from underneath his pillow and Kate pulled out the club she had strapped to her back. They both stood facing the door, weapons at the ready, straining to hear another sound, but Kate could only hear their own breathing. After a few seconds they heard muffled laughter. Sawyer lowered his gun.  
'Probably just drunk,' Sawyer muttered under his breath. 'Wait here,' he said, turning to Kate. 'I'll go check it out.'

Kate waited less than a second after Sawyer had left the room. Whatever it was that she was feeling, whatever was happening between her and Sawyer, Kate couldn't face it, so she ran away from it.

She pulled her hood up over her head and crawled out of the window and on to the top of the building. The breaking light of a new day glinted on the slated rooftops as she clambered across it, half relieved that she hadn't had to see his face when he realised she'd gone and half wishing that she had.

She didn't go to Central, instead Kate went back to her isolated home in the loneliest part of town and crawled underneath her thin blanket, trying to hide from a war that was coming her way and that she couldn't escape. For the first time in her life, she felt truly alone.

The rain dripped through her sagging ceiling, landing in rhythmic splashes on the floor, like the beating of a clock.


	6. October 7

A/N: Thank you one hundred times over, Elisa and BrilliantInsanity!

**October 7 2032**

It had been three days since Kate had left her hideout. From her window she could see the occasional flare of fire, and she could hear the intermittent claps of gunshots in the night sky. Each one signalled another sacrifice made for her, each one made her shudder to her core.

She'd promised John she'd lay low for a while. Sayid had requested a meeting with her. All Locke had told her was that there would be no payment for this job. Kate understood what that meant, and it sent a rush of adrenalin coursing through her. Sayid's feelings had always been clear, he had spoken to her of Central many times in the past. He hated the wall that divided the city, and his frustration with the apathy of the people in the slums was no secret.

It was the final sign, Kate thought. A new war had begun and she was going to fight it. Her moment of weakness had passed, though it left behind a burning shame. She would have given in. If Sawyer had agreed, she would be in the hands of Central by now, if not dead. He was right. She couldn't help the slums by surrendering. And although she was grateful to him, she hated that he had seen her at her most vulnerable, and cursed herself for it every moment since she'd left.

She walked over to her weapons cabinet and opened the door. Her gun collection, largely stolen from Central during her numerous raids, wasn't large, but she had more than she needed: a sniper, two semi-automatics, and RPG, a shotgun and four pistols. She pulled out one of the hand-guns and put it in her back pocket and closed the door.

She made her way down to the streets and walked towards the river, following its gently winding path through the city. She was meeting Locke and Sayid in an abandoned factory on the wharfs. The streets here were completely empty of life, apart from the occasional squawking seagull flying overhead, escaping eastwards to the open sea. The slums hadn't spread out this far and the area had fallen to utter ruin.

Kate followed the Thames, stepping over broken glass and twisted iron, until she arrived at the warehouse, one of the few buildings still standing in the area, though only just. She went around to the back, pushing through the overgrown grass, keeping her footsteps light and her eyes and ears open for Central guards. There was no reason for them to be this far out from the slums, but she wasn't taking any chances.

At the back of the building was a set of heavy metal doors. Kate pushed them open and walked into the dark warehouse. It smelt like damp wood and grease. The floor was covered in thick dust and rusted machinery parts. The roof held huge skylights that stretched from one end of the room to the other. Some of the glass was intact, but most were smashed with jutting razor-sharp shards clinging precariously to the frames. She crossed the room quickly and quietly, stopping at the door on the other side. She listened for a moment, confirming that it was Locke and Sayid that she could hear murmuring quietly behind it. She opened the door and walked into what looked like an office, stripped bare but for a desk and a battered metal filing cabinet in the corner.

Both men looked up as she entered the room.

'Thank you for coming, Kate,' Sayid said, the relief in is voice evident. 'I'm glad to see you safe.'  
Kate nodded her thanks and smiled a greeting at Locke. He nodded back as she took the seat that Sayid still held out for her.

'So what's this about?' Kate said, wasting no time. 'The attacks on the slums?'  
'A few more minutes please,' Sayid replied in his clipped middle-eastern accent. 'We are expecting one more.'  
Kate frowned, not understanding, but before she could ask another question she heard the creak of the doors at the back. As she heard the heavy footsteps that followed, her stomach lurched. Sawyer. She knew it was him. She could _feel_ it. Her heartbeat quickened as he drew closer and she could feel her face burning.

The door opened and he walked in. Kate's throat went dry and she swallowed hard, thankful for the relative darkness of the room. She didn't want to see him, not in front of Locke and Sayid, but as he stood in front of her, she realised, underneath all her fears, she was glad he was there. Ever since she'd left his room the other night, she'd thought of seeking him out, while at the same time, never wanting to see him again.

His eyes met hers, and she felt the familiar shockwave rush through her body, but she held his gaze. If he was surprised to see her, he gave no sign.

'I believe you two have met,' Locke said, breaking the silence.  
Kate quickly looked away, concentrating her gaze outside the small window in the office. It felt like the room had suddenly gotten smaller and she had to fight the urge to run from it.  
'Briefly,' Sawyer replied and Kate knew he was still looking her way.

'Thank you for coming,' Sayid said politely. 'I wasn't sure if you would.'  
'Seven thousand in cash was a pretty big incentive.'  
So he was here for the money, Kate thought, looking back at him, a small wave of disappointment rushing through her. Should have known, she thought shaking her head.

'So we're all here,' Kate said coldly. 'What is this about, Sayid?'  
Sayid gestured to another seat in the corner for Sawyer to take, but Sawyer ignored it, and leaned lazily against the wall. Sayid walked to the other side of the desk, and began to speak.

'There are four thousand people living in Central… Four thousand. And nearly one million in the slums,' Sayid said as he addressed the small gathering. 'And yet they do nothing. Why is that?'  
No one replied, and Kate waited impatiently for him to speak again.  
'Because they are scared,' Sayid said. 'They have lost the will to fight. The people that live on the other side? They are just as scared. Maybe more so. They have been conditioned to believe that if the walls come down, the people of the slums would overrun them, hurt them, take their homes, harm their children, rob them of all their worthless possessions.'  
Sayid paused. He paced the room, his hands in his unruly black hair, before he stopped and turned to them again.  
'But that wall is coming down,' he said, his dark brown eyes flashing dangerously. 'We are going to bring it down.'

For a few minutes no one spoke. Kate allowed herself a look at Sawyer who looked back at the same moment. She turned away, focusing her attention on Sayid again.

It was Sawyer who was the first to break the silence.  
'And how are we gonna do that, Ali?' he said sarcastically. Kate bristled in irritation.

'We dismantle Central from within,' Sayid went on, unperturbed by Sawyer's attitude. 'Their armoury; tanks, weapon stores, food supplies, electricity. And we take out their leaders,' he said, looking hard at Sawyer. Kate sneaked another look at him, waiting for his reaction.  
'You want me to kill Ben Linus,' he said, the realisation washing over his face, and Kate saw that the idea of it filled him with dread.  
'You're a mercenary. Isn't that what you do?' Sayid asked calmly.  
Sawyer didn't reply for a moment, then: 'You're gonna have to come up with a hell of a lot more than seven grand.'  
Sayid turned to Sawyer, looking him evenly in the eye, neither one of them backing down.

'You know how many times this has been tried over the years, Sayid?' Kate said, feeling an irrational need to change the subject. 'How many people have died?'  
'So what do you suggest we do?' Sayid said, turning back to face her, his voice louder now and heavy with frustration. 'Sit back and do nothing while they murder our people? While they burn down our houses and our livelihoods? Before they push us so far back into the dark ages that there will be no turning back?'

Kate risked another glance at Sawyer. He was deep in thought, and she could see that whatever he was thinking weighed heavily on his mind. He looked up and met her eyes, sending another jolt through her. As she watched, she saw him come to a silent decision before her eyes, though he still didn't speak.  
'Where do we start?' Kate asked, her eyes still on Sawyer, though she was addressing Sayid, a quiet confidence beginning to burn inside her.

Sayid pulled out a map of London and spread it out on the table. Kate inched forward to get a closer look. The map was old, the wall that surrounded the centre of the city had been drawn in by hand.  
'Here…' Sayid said, pointing to an area inside the central sector. 'This is where start. It is an old vehicle storage building… a car park, they used to call it. Above ground are five stories, and below is an underground level. This is where they keep their tanks. Just six in all. If we are to win this campaign, this is where we need to start. We need to disarm them straight away. There are three weapon stores in the centre,' he said, jabbing his finger on the map. 'Two of these are inside this building.'

'Why would they keep their only tanks in one car park?' Kate asked.  
'Because it is the only underground location in the city that allows for the quickest response to attack,' Sayid replied.  
Kate looked away from the map and up at Sayid. 'So, what's the plan?' Kate asked.  
'You are going to destroy this building,' Sayid replied calmly.

Suddenly Sawyer spoke up. 'That's the dumbest plan I ever heard,' he said fiercely. 'That building is crawling with guards, there's no way she can get in and out of there unseen.'  
Kate whipped around to face him, fixing him with a hard glare. 'I can get in there,' she said, her voice even and cold.  
'I do not doubt that you can,' Sayid said, smiling at her confidently. Sawyer scowled at Sayid before turning away and looking darkly out of the window.  
'But,' Sayid went on. 'I do not want you to go in there alone.'

Kate knew what was coming before Sayid could say it.  
'No way,' she said firmly.  
'You are very important to our mission Kate,' Sayid said gesturing towards Locke, who still hadn't spoken. 'We cannot risk you getting caught, or killed.'  
'And you think _he_ can stop that happening?' she spat back. 'He _works_ for Linus. How can you trust him Sayid?' Kate saw Sawyer stiffen slightly and she felt a small twinge of guilt.

'He'll slow me down,' she said, quieter now.  
'Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart,' Sawyer shot back angrily.  
'Sayid,' Kate implored, turning her attention to him, ignoring Sawyer. '_Nobody_ knows how I get in and out of Central. You can't expect me to take him in. He has the right papers… if he has to be there I can meet him inside.'  
'Kate,' Sayid replied softly. 'If our plan works, you will not need to sneak in there anymore. You will be free to come and go as you please and if it doesn't work... it won't matter anymore. The slums can not bear these attacks for long.'

Kate looked at him for a moment before relenting slightly, and giving him a reluctant nod. 'Okay Sayid.'  
Sayid shot her a wide grin and turned to Locke. Locke smiled back serenely, as if he had always expected the outcome.

Sawyer walked closer to Kate and Sayid and stopped just behind her.  
'So when do we do this?' he asked, interrupting the moment.  
'Tomorrow night,' Sayid replied.

As Sayid went on to brief them on the mission, Kate felt a rush of exhilaration. She loved nothing more than preparing for a job, and if there wasn't so much at stake, she would almost have been having a good time.

When Sayid finished talking, the four of them got up to leave. The room was heavy with unspoken excitement, and hope… though Kate couldn't help notice that Sawyer was not as confident as she was.  
'Eleven-thirty,' she said, turning to him. 'At the old Truman brewery in Whitechapel.'  
'Why the brewery?'  
'Just don't be late, Sawyer,' she said, giving him a rare smile.  
His eyes softened slightly. 'Eleven-thirty,' he replied casually.  
She nodded her goodbyes to Locke and Sayid and left the warehouse, making her way back along the river to her hideout.

Kate had never worked with anyone on a job before. She'd never had a partner and she'd never wanted one, but a small smile tugged at her lips as she walked home, picking her way through the debris of rocks and litter, the sound of gunshots still thundering in the distance through the clear night sky.


	7. October 8

**October 8 2032**

Sawyer was early, but he'd had to get out of the townhouse. He'd been restless throughout the day and as the clock ticked closer to the time he was to meet with Kate, the waiting had become unbearable. The Blades had also been on edge since the contracts from Central had begun to dry up, and he'd been forced to listen to their complaints all day. Or at least, pretend to listen. The truth was, Sawyer didn't care anymore. He'd never really given a damn in the first place. He'd never wanted leadership of the Blades. All he'd done was follow orders.

He shivered against the cold as he waited for Kate to arrive. She was something Sawyer did care about. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since the day he'd met her. He was excited, he felt like he was about to gain a new insight into her, the way she lived and worked. But if he was honest with himself, Sawyer was also nervous. He was here for an important reason, and it didn't matter that Sayid was paying him, he felt bound to protect her, and now he was about to follow her into the belly of the beast.

'Hey,' her soft voice startled him from his thoughts and he spun around, his apprehension softening when he laid eyes on her. She was beautiful, but tonight even more so. Her eyes were shining with excitement, her usually pale cheeks were flushed. Her long, curly brown hair was tied up revealing her neck, the only part of her besides her face that wasn't covered in clothing. For a few seconds he was transfixed by the small space of skin. He forcefully pulled his gaze away, before she could notice.

'Hey yourself,' he drawled, lazily looking her up and down, purposefully now that it was on his terms, allowing her to know exactly what he was thinking. 'So… dinner and a movie?'  
Kate laughed a little and he grinned back at her, pleased with himself. He had rarely even see her smile.  
She shook her head at him. 'Come on,' she said, rolling her eyes. 'Follow me'.

She took him through a maze of alleyways, through long forgotten car parks and abandoned petrol stations, into overgrown parks and across endless stretches of ruins until they finally arrived at a small patch of land, surrounded by sagging and crumbling buildings. The area had once been a stretch of tarmac, Sawyer realised, though it had been ripped to shreds by the weeds that had burst through.

He looked at Kate, confused. 'Well?' he said, gesturing to the empty space around them.  
Kate didn't reply, instead she looked down and Sawyer's eyes followed hers to a small round manhole in the ground.

'You gotta be kidding me,' he said, his eyes wide as he looked back at her. 'The sewers?'  
She ignored him and got down on her haunches, easily pulling the grate away and pushing it aside. Shooting him a look that Sawyer took as a challenge, Kate gracefully jumped down, catching hold of the ladder below nimbly, before dropping to the bottom with an almost inaudible splash.

'Son of a bitch,' Sawyer muttered under his breath. He cast a quick look round, took in a deep breath of fresh air and followed her down, resting on the ladder as he pulled the manhole back into place, before landing heavily on the ground. He quickly straightened, desperate not to fall.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. He could barely breath against it and had to cover his face with his sleeve. As he wiped the tears away that sprang to his eyes, he noticed that Kate, in contrast, seemed fine. The only sign of discomfort was a lady-like wrinkling of her nose of disgust. He smiled inwardly, in admiration. Most of the women he knew would be screaming and running for the ladder right now, he thought, as a huge rat ran across his foot. He shuddered and quickly went after Kate as she made her way into the darkness.

After a while, his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, and he didn't notice the smell anymore, though he still refused to inhale the air directly around him, instead breathing through the sleeve of his jacket. He hated the place. The curved roof skimmed the top of his head, forcing him to hunch down, the walls were covered in thick green algae, and the ground underneath his feet was slick with God only knew what. He couldn't believe that Kate used this route so often. Like so many things about her, it was a total contrast to the woman herself.

'So did you kill Jack Shepherd?'  
Her question, so casually and silkily spoken, stopped Sawyer in his tracks.  
'What?!' he choked out.  
'Shepherd. Did you kill him?'  
'What business is it is of yours?' he snapped.  
'None,' Kate conceded amiably. 'Just making conversation. It's a long way.'

Sawyer followed on in silence for a few moments, cursing Kate's shadowy form ahead of him for bringing him up_. __Shepherd_. He'd despised the man on sight. Thought he was above it all. _Real fucking hero_.

'Shepherd ain't dead.' he snarled.  
He wanted her to know the truth, though he didn't know what difference it would make. He may not have killed Shepherd, but they'd been plenty others.

Kate stopped in her tracks and spun around to face him, eyes wide.  
'He took a bribe, far as I know he's living a peaceful life on the south coast,' Sawyer went on.  
'Shepherd would never do that,' Kate said coldly through narrowed eyes. 'He would never turn his back on the slums, on the Blades.'  
'Funny,' Sawyer snarled, rankled by her defence of the man. 'Cause that's exactly what he did.'  
Kate turned away from him and continued walking, faster now. Sawyer could almost hear her mind whirring in thought, and for the first time in his life, he felt jealous.

The revelation amazed him. He'd never given a damn about any of the women he'd slept with, or that most of them spent the night back home with their husbands. And he hadn't even kissed Kate, hadn't even touched her.

'If you didn't kill him, why does everyone think you did?' Kate asked after a few moments.  
Sawyer sighed heavily. 'You ever stop asking questions woman?'  
'No.' Kate snapped, whipping around to face him again. 'Where did you come from Sawyer? How did you get here? Why are you working for Ben? Why are you working for Sayid?'  
'I don't work for Ben,' Sawyer said quietly. 'Not anymore.'  
'Why not?'  
'Because. He doesn't trust me.'  
'Is that why you're on the list?'  
Sawyer looked up at her, brows furrowed. 'What list?'  
'The list,' Kate said simply. 'From the Alpert Mansion. You're name was on it, along with a few others.'

The blood that coursed through Sawyer's body ran cold and he looked at Kate, wondering if she knew exactly what it was she'd just told him. She looked back at him boldly, but Sawyer quickly realised she was bluffing. She didn't know anything.  
'Who else was on it?' he asked, an edge of danger creeping into his voice.  
But if Kate noticed, she wasn't going to back down. 'Why is important?' she asked stubbornly.  
'Who else was on it Kate?' he said, louder now.

Kate ignored him defiantly and turned away, and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Sawyer knew she wouldn't tell him any thing else. Just out of pure spite. The list meant nothing to her, but she wanted one over him. And that didn't bother him in the slightest.

Sawyer understood what the list meant though. He had become a target. Central had taken out a contract on his life. He almost laughed at the irony.

If anyone else had just gotten that news, they would be quaking in terror. Central assassins were notoriously vicious, and incredibly thorough. But Sawyer felt a rush of pure exhilaration.

Let them come, he thought, the promise of violence stirring in his stomach. Every churning doubt he'd had about working for Sayid, every ounce of guilt he'd had for betraying Ben, was gone in an instant, and for a few seconds, Sawyer understood what it meant to be free. He laughed quietly to himself and ran to catch up with Kate.

'What are you smiling at?' she asked suspiciously, raising one eyebrow at him.  
Sawyer just shook his head dismissively. 'Why have you stopped?' he asked instead.  
'We're here,' Kate gestured towards a ragged hole in the brick wall. Sawyer moved closer and peered through, but could see nothing ahead but darkness.  
'You made this?' he asked, pointing towards the hole.  
'Uh huh,' she replied, already climbing in. 'It's just a short crawl.'

And then she was gone, completely swallowed by the darkness. Sawyer took one last look around the sewers, listening for any sound of movement, but all he could hear was the trickling of running water and the scuffling and scratching of the rats below. He followed Kate into the hole, using his hands and knees to push himself forward through the slimy tunnel. It was tiny, barely enough room for his body, but it wasn't long before he reached the other side and realised the opening he'd arrived at was high up a wall. He squinted his eyes downwards and could just make out Kate on the ground below, waiting for him to follow.

He dropped down onto dusty, hard ground and looked around. When he realised where he was, a huge smile broke out on to his face.  
'We're in a subway station!'  
'Yep.' Kate said, and he could hear the smile on her lips.

She had a right to be proud, Sawyer thought. She must be the only living person to have been down here in twenty years. Every one of the hundreds of station scattered throughout the city had been sealed with concrete. The underground had been deemed to dangerous by a newly appointed government of an already falling city. The trains had barely been running at that time and the stations and networks underneath were used to keep the massive wave of homeless immigrants from around the globe warm. People spoke of the underground system of trains with awe now. The sealing of the stations had gone down in history as the beginning of the darkest of ages. The lifeblood of the city had been cut off, and the city had choked.

Sawyer looked around in awe, drinking in all the foreign sights. It was a room frozen in time. Billboards lined the walls all the way across, advertising insurance, computers, mobile phones and make-up. Film posters, concert flyers, graffiti. Coke cans and newspapers. It was like a museum. Sawyer caught sight of a chocolate vending machine over by the wall and began tampering with it, trying to get it open.  
'Are you kidding?' Kate laughed. 'I cleaned that out years ago.'  
Sawyer watched as she hopped down on to the tracks and started following them into the tunnel. He sighed regretfully, and took a last look around before he quickly followed after her.

The underground tunnel was darkly oppressive but was an instant improvement to the sewers and Sawyer was able to walk more easily. He wondered how far underneath the city they were, he could almost feel the weight of it bearing down on him, but the ground was slowly rising underneath him and he sensed he was walking closer to the surface. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Kate stopped again.

'If we go through this way, it will bring us into the middle of Hyde Park,' she said, almost whispering now that they were so close. 'That's the closest exit to the car park.'  
'After you,' Sawyer whispered back, gesturing towards the maintenance door to the side. Kate opened it and they walked into a small control room. He noticed a coat was still slung over the back of the chair in the centre of the room, as if the owner had expected to come back for it.

Kate climbed up a metal ladder in the corner of the room and pushed the grating up that covered it from above. Sawyer saw the small square of starlit night sky and quickly followed after her. He breathed in the sweet smell of fresh air as he pushed the cover back over.

They were in the middle of the park. Sawyer could see the lake off to the east and realised that the car park and weapon stores must be to the south.  
'Keep close to me,' Kate said, turning to face him. 'And… try not to say anything.'  
'Me try not to say anything?' Sawyer said, eyebrows raised. 'I'm not the one asking all the questions.'  
Kate silenced him with a sharp look and he mock saluted her.  
'Fine, whatever you say, can we just get on with this?'  
'Have you got the detonator Sayid made?'  
'Yes. Have you got the C4?' he asked sarcastically.

Kate ignored him and instead started a slow sprint across the field, keeping close to the shadows of the trees. Sawyer followed after her, pushing away his annoyance. They were on enemy ground now and he kept alert for guards. No civilian would be out this time of night. There was an unspoken curfew that everyone obediently obeyed. Sawyer knew that Ben was stretching his resources by sending so many guards into the slums night after night. Another factor in their favour.

Kate reached the empty roadside and ducked across quickly, slipping into a dark alleyway on the other side. So far Sawyer hadn't seen another soul. Kate crouched in the darkness at the other end of the alleyway waiting for him. When he reached her, she silently pointed across the next street at the huge car park ahead. A quick scan and Sawyer saw four guards around the entrance at the front. Sayid had said to expect four more inside, though they would be scattered on five levels.

Kate and Sawyer circled far around to the back of the car park. From here they would have to climb to the first floor and crawl in through the open window spaces. Wordlessly, Sawyer cradled his hands together to give Kate a boost up. She deftly hopped up, and he felt her thigh brush against his arm as she pushed herself further up. If there was one thing Sawyer admired in himself, it was his professionalism, though he couldn't help but look up as she bent over to crawl through the window. He smiled appreciatively, before quickly following her up.

As soon as he was in, he crouched down and waited, Kate was doing the same. Intently listening for human activity, raptly seeking movement. But there was complete silence, except for the wind that whistled through the trees outside.

Kate ran, keeping close to the ground like a cat, over to the ramp that led to the ground floor. Sawyer followed her, though his movements were more militaristic, as he moved from shadow to shadow. They descended down to the ground floor and followed the wall around to the other side of the room where the final ramp down was. Sawyer sneaked another look round, but it was desolate. The room he was in was completely empty, a shadowy expanse of concrete and pillars. He followed Kate down to the ground floor and he saw the tanks. Six in total, the moonlight glinting on their heavily armoured bodies, cannons pointing menacingly ahead. On opposite sides of the room were two weapon stores. The final weapons hold lay far across town, Sayid and a few of his man had that covered and it would be blown, as soon as Sayid saw the flames of the car park.

Now all he could do was wait and watch as Kate moved quickly from tank to tank, sticking the explosives to the belly of each. She slipped inside one of the weapons stores and returned a few tense minutes later. Suddenly, Sawyer heard heavy footsteps and he froze. Someone was coming down the ramp, though their footsteps were unhurried and casual. He quickly ran over to Kate, who was picking the lock on the door of the final weapon store. As soon as she opened the door, Sawyer put his hand over her mouth and pulled her in, closing the door silently behind them.  
'What the hell are you doing,' Kate hissed when he let her go. Sawyer didn't reply, instead holding his finger to his lips in a demand for silence. He opened the door slightly and looked out. Kate got down to the ground and looked as well, through the crack in the door below him.

He could have sworn he heard her heart begin to beat rapidly in her chest as she saw what he was seeing and he wanted to lay his hand on his shoulder, reassure her. But the truth was, all the guard would have to do is take one check of the tanks and the alarm would be raised, and they would have failed.

The guard turned and slowly began walking their way and Sawyer pushed the door shut. Kate jumped to her feet and looked at him, eyes wide. Simultaneously, Kate and Sawyer reached for their respective weapons, Kate a club, Sawyer, a shotgun strapped to his back, and they waited. Sawyers mind raced as he prepared himself. If the guard came in, he'd have no choice but to shoot him. The footsteps were louder now, but they suddenly stopped, right outside the door. Sawyer stole another glance at Kate, but any alarm on her face had been washed away by sheer determination.

The door handle slowly began turn. Sawyer's eyes flashed with violence as he raised his gun higher, but then he felt a sudden warmth on his arm. Kate held on to him, a silent request in her eyes that let him know she didn't want him to use the gun, she pointed to her club and moved silently to the side of the door, ready to strike the second it opened. Sawyer didn't lower his gun an inch though, his only thought was of making sure she didn't get hurt.

It was over in a second as Kate pounced, knocking the man out clean before he had a chance to utter a word. He went down hard, crumpling at first, before sprawling out on his back unconscious. Kate turned to Sawyer and smiled triumphantly and he nearly laughed out loud, fighting the urge to pull her into his arms.

Exhaling heavily. Sawyer walked over to the guard.  
'Nice job, Freckles,' he said as he pulled the man into the room and shut the door again. 'We gotta do this fast, before they notice he's gone.'

Kate nodded, and briskly got back to work, placing C4 around the room. Sawyer whistled as he had a good look around for the first time. Wooden crates piled high to the ceiling with what looked like explosives. A huge disorderly pile of rifles and guns lay in one corner, and on the other side were more guns, these ones still boxed. He walked over to the pile of guns and began picking through them, putting a pistol in his pocket and slipping a rifle into the straps on his back.

'What are you doing?' Kate asked, half-amused.  
'You need to ask?' Sawyer replied.  
Kate walked over to the heap of weaponry and pulled out a silencer. A huge grin broke out on Sawyer's face.  
'That's more like it,' he said approvingly.  
Kate shrugged innocently, 'Completes my collection,' she said. 'Let's go.'

They retraced their steps back to the window unseen and in minutes they were back outside. They ducked into an alleyway and followed it down past the terraced houses that looked down on them. When they were a safe enough distance away, but still in range for the detonator, Sawyer pulled out the contraption Sayid had made.

'You wanna do the honours?' he asked, holding out the detonator to Kate.  
'Actually, I would,' Kate said, smiling back at him.  
She took it from him and faced towards the direction of the car park, and Sawyer knew she didn't want to miss a thing. A thrill of excitement rushed through him as he waited for her to use it. There was no turning back now. In a few minutes, Central would understand that they were truly at war.

Kate activated the detonator and a huge explosion tore through the night, louder than thunder. From where they were, they could just see the top level of the carpark, though a second later it was gone, crushing in on itself on crashing to the ground, the screeches reverberating far across the city. The flames lit the night sky amber, blotting out the stars.

A pure feeling of joy washed through his body and he laughed, joined by Kate who laughed with equal abandon.

He turned to looked at her, her eyes shining, rapturous in the light of the fire, her skin pale and luminous in the moonlight, and it was the only thing he could do. He took two strides towards her, pulled her into his arms, and before she could register what he was doing, he brought his lips down to hers, closing the space between them. And then the world softly shattered.

They were the only people alive. The only people that could feel. Warmth, comfort, heat and desire, followed by regret as Sawyer softly pulled away. He opened his eyes and drank in the sight of her. Her eyes were still closed, her face lifted towards him. When she slowly opened her eyes and met his, he knew then that he was hers. He was lost to her. He would die for her. He grinned at her and she smiled shyly back.

The thunder of another explosion ripped through the night air and Kate and Sawyer turned to see the last of the weapon stores go up in flames. A small mushroom cloud of fire burst towards the heavens, not quite reaching, instead dissipating into billowing black smoke and debris that fell to the ground like confetti.

The ground beneath them trembled slightly, and then all fell quiet. They stood rooted to the spot for a few moments, and then…

'We should go,' Kate said, her voice quiet, all traces of happiness dissolved.  
Sawyer turned to look at her, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. The chill of the night replaced the warmth that had flooded his body only seconds ago. He wouldn't push her, no matter how deeply he had fallen, so he nodded at her, and they turned to run the opposite way, back to the park and into the sewers.

They didn't notice the tall, dark figure, hidden in the shadows that had been watching them intently, and that now slipped away purposefully towards the heart of Central.


	8. October 9

_A/N: Thank you BrilliantInsanity and GossipGirl17, loved reading your thoughtsx_

**October 9 2032**

The tremors of the weapon storage blast had been felt far across the slums. The faint shockwaves shook the foundations of the small brick houses and the corrugated iron shacks. The wreckage of the car park still emitted a column of thick, black smoke that rose high into the sky, and brought a smile to the faces of those that saw it.

Hugo Reyes laughed as he threw back another beer and listened to his friends talk. Vic was holding court, regaling anyone who would listen with tales of the old days. Hugo and Vic were long time friends and had once served in the Blades together, before Sawyer had kicked them out. He was one of the only real friends he had, and who had stuck by him through the worst. Hugo had lost everything when Sawyer had cast him out. Bastard had told him he was unfit to wear the uniform, threw every insult under the sun at him. Because of Sawyer, Hugo lost everything. His house, his confidence, his self-worth… his girlfriend Libby, whose heart he had broken by pushing her away, never really believing that he had been worthy of her in the first place. He pushed the dark thoughts out of his head. He'd been feeling a lot better recently, his wounded soul was starting to heal, and today was a good day.

'Yeah!' Vic exclaimed crashing his glass into Hugo's own.  
'Careful man, you're spilling my pint,' Hurley protested good-naturedly.  
'Drink up! This is the start of something I can feel it,' Vic replied to a murmur of agreement around the table.

Hugo smiled and nodded. He could almost taste the excitement in the air. It was in the way people moved, and talked. For the first time in a long time, the people of the slums were walking straighter, their heads held a little higher. It was anticipation and fear and change. The beginning of something. And everybody felt it. The bar had been busy all day, Hurley knew, because he'd been drinking there since noon, and the same refrain was spoken from everybody's lips. Revolution. Central had been wounded, most of their weapons destroyed. It was the first sign of resistance in years. The Central troops had withdrawn from the slums, and although everybody expected them to return in force, today felt like a victory, and Hugo was celebrating.

'This is just the beginning,' Hugo agreed excitedly. 'Things are totally going to change around here man. No more midnight raids, no more killing…and no more freakin' wall. It's going to be fresh running water and comfy beds all the way my friend.'  
'I'll drink to that,' Vic said, though he was really only looking for an excuse.  
'Cheers!' said Hugo, as they both laughed and slung back another beer.

'So, come on, Reyes,' Vic said, conspiratorially. 'We know you know something. You and Jarrah are thick as thieves. Always in some corner, plotting and planning. Spill. Did he do it?'  
'I swear man, I don't know anything,' said Hugo, and it was the truth. He could understand why people would think Sayid confided in him about his underground activities, but he never spoke of it, and Hugo knew it was to protect him. He thought Sayid was behind the blast, it was pretty obvious, but he wouldn't ask. He respected their friendship too much for that.

'I gotta take a leak,' he said, trying not to slur his words. When he stood up, he swayed slightly, bringing raucous laughter and insults from the busy table. Hugo quickly righted himself and smiled at his comrades.  
'Whatever dudes. I'm not drunk. You're drunk,' he said laughing and jabbing a finger in the general direction of his friends. He turned unsteadily away from the group and headed outside and round the back of the bar.

It was much quieter in the open air and Hugo's ears rang in the sudden silence. Although no Central guards were out tonight, people were still staying in their homes after dark.

He whistled to keep himself company and ward away the eerie quiet of the slums. Just as he was about to unzip his flies, he heard a faint rustling behind him. Hugo spun around, trying to focus his eyes. It was getting dark, the sun was burning a deep, blood red on the horizon and casting deep shadows on the slums. He couldn't see anything but naked streets, broken walls.

He shook his head, as if shaking away the bad feeling that was growing in his stomach. _Just had too much to drink, _he thought_._ But then he heard the faint swish of a metal blade slicing through the air, and felt a sudden pain in his abdomen. He slowly looked down and saw the tip of a blade protruding from his stomach, the cold steel glinting in the dying light, and a dark, sticky stain slowly seeping out from it.

The blade was swiftly pulled out, his breath ripped violently from his lungs with it.

'No,' he rasped. A protest, a denial, a refusal.

He fell down to his knees and put a hand to his stomach and felt the warm liquid that was draining from him. He pressed on the wound, futilely trying to stem it, but he was already too weak. He hit the ground and rolled over on to his back, and as he looked up, he noticed, somewhere in the back of his mind, that the first star had come out in the sky.

A shadow fell over him and he caught a glimpse of blonde hair. 'Libby?' he whispered faintly. _Libby_…

But when he looked again, he saw the face of a stranger. Cool blue eyes staring down at him remotely, as if he was a specimen in a laboratory, absent of emotion, devoid of soul. _Who… who…?_

'Who are you…?' he managed to whisper, but his mind was already drifting. He could feel the life slowly ebbing out of him, and an intense cold along with a soothing calm washed over him. He sleepily closed his eyes, his last thoughts not of his murderer, but of the only girl he'd ever loved, and how he desperately didn't want to leave her. _Libby, I'm sorry_.

The last thing he heard before he slipped away completely, was the sound of footsteps walking calmly away from him, echoing hollowly across the slums.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Sawyer hadn't slept in two days. Thoughts of Kate, thoughts of his planned assassination, thoughts of the job they'd done on the tanks and weapons storage, not allowing him a moments rest. He pulled the curtains back and looked outside his bedroom window, rifle in one hand, a whisky in the other.

He could imagine Ben's face when he heard about the explosion. It had probably woken him up, Sawyer thought with a smile. The slums were on fire with the news. Sawyer's men had been updating him throughout the day and had reported all the whisperings and rumours. Many thought the Blades had done it, some suspected Sayid and his men and others swore it was the Black Rat. They were right on all counts.

Sawyer was laying low, and he knew Kate was doing the same, but he wished he could see her, talk to her. There last moments together had been constantly on his mind, and his body burned everytime he thought of it. But he would have to wait until next week when he was meeting her to carry out a raid on Central's food storages. It would be the final mission before Sayid blew the wall, and his men stormed in. Sawyer was sure they would all die. They were out-numbered. Unless he could convince the people of the slums to join him. And that was unlikely.

In the meantime, Sawyer could do nothing but wait, and the waiting was agony. Every sound, every disturbance on the street outside, set him on edge, as he waited for his assassin to come.

There was no telling when it would be. Sawyer had seen it so many times over. People disappeared from the slums all the time. It was nothing unusual, and was barely spoken of anymore.

Sawyer lifted his rifle and rested it on his shoulder and leaned back in the chair, allowing himself to close his eyes for a few moments. A loud knock came at the door and his eyes snapped wide open. After a few seconds the door opened and Cid walked in, a burly Blade with a craggy face and personality to match.

'Got a message for you, boss.'  
Sawyer quickly got up from the chair, eager to know who the note was from. Sayid, most likely, he thought, but a part of him hoped it was from Kate.

He took the envelope and nodded his thanks at Cid. Cid remained standing in the doorway.  
'Something else I can help you with?' Sawyer asked impatiently.  
'The person that delivered that letter. There was something strange abut her,'  
'Her?' Sawyer asked quickly, lifting up the letter. 'A woman dropped this off?'  
'Yeah,' Cid replied. 'And I gotta say, she didn't look like one of your conquests, bit too smart for that. It's unusual for a woman to be out walking the slums alone this time of night.'  
'What did she look like?' Sawyer asked calmly, though his heart was hammering in his chest.  
'Tall, blonde… pretty as a painting,' said Cid.

A wave of disappointment washed over him, followed by confusion. His forehead creased in thought as he looked at the envelope in his hand.  
'Thanks Cid,' he said absently. 'That's all.'

He waited until Cid had left the room and walked back over to his chair by the window, and took a seat. He held the envelope in between his fingers and flipped it round, scrutinising it, as if trying to see through it to the contents inside. Then he noticed a small dark smudge in the corner of it. He got up and quickly walked over to his lamp to get a better look. A small thumb print painted in the unmistakable rusty red of dried blood.

He swore under his breath and went back to the window and looked out at the rain-slicked streets below. He half expected to see someone staring back at him, or to be shot there and then. But it was empty, just the customary band of Central troops guarding the main gate.

He pulled his knife out of the sheath in his belt and sliced through the top of the envelope and ripped out the letter inside.

WE HAVE SOME CATCHING UP TO DO. MY OFFICE. EIGHT O'CLOCK.

Ben Linus. It had to be. No one else would have the audacity to summon him like that. He began pacing the room, his mind spinning through the possibilities of what it could mean. He tried to tell himself that it was about a contract, that Ben had changed his mind about hiring the Blades. After all, the explosion had forced Ben to withdraw his troops temporarily. He'd be looking for more manpower.

Still, he tucked an extra gun into his boot, concealing it under his dark jeans before he left the townhouse.

He stopped on the street for a moment when he saw the smoke of the weapons storage wreckage. He wondered if Kate could see it, from wherever she lived in the docks. For a moment he thought about looking for her. Ignoring Ben's request and seeking out her riverside hideout. But he couldn't shake the feeling his every move was being watched. He swore under his breath and regretfully walked over to the main gates, thrusting his Central admittance papers into the hand of the gatekeeper.

The guard looked at him up and down, chewing on tobacco. He spat out a wad and it landed on the ground, just missing Sawyer's foot. Sawyer looked at him, his eyes flashing cool ice, but the guard just smiled back at him, revealing his tobacco-stained teeth.

Sawyer fought the urge to break his neck, there and then, but the last thing he wanted was another spell in the cells.

The guard smiled again, as if he had won a victory, but he walked over to the ratchet and began turning it. The huge metal gates began slowly sliding open, screeching across the concrete, heavy chains chattering loudly as they worked.

Sawyer had never gotten used to the sight he saw when the gates were pulled back. It was like walking into a different world. The roads and streets, though rarely used, were immaculate. The Tower of London dominated the landscape, it's ancient turrets and spikes rising proudly onto the sky, modern glass buildings surrounding it, stories high. The only thing that marred the image was the mangled wreck of Tower Bridge, that lay beside the castle, once a proud monument to humanity's search for beauty and their dynamic industrialism.

As he walked though Central to Ben's office, and took in the grand buildings and beautifully hand-crafted statues that stood as reminders of soldiers that had fallen in long-forgotten wars, and great thinkers who had pushed the world forward, and gods and goddesses whose stories had inspired generations, Sawyer thought, for the first time in his life, that they shouldn't be hidden behind a wall, where only a select few could see them and stand witness to them. He'd never given a damn before, it wasn't his country, it wasn't his problem. He just existed, floated from place to place.

He hadn't come to London by choice. He had been brought here by Ben Linus himself. He was to destroy the Blades from within and cut off the last defence, the last hope of the slums. Linus had pulled a lot of strings to get him here, and if he hadn't Sawyer would probably be dead by now. His own country had long fallen to ruin.

He had nothing back there to leave behind. His grand-parents, the only two people who had ever shown him any love, had been murdered in front of his eyes when he was just eight-years-old. Sawyer had been alone ever since.

His dark thoughts kept him company as he took the long walk to the centre of the compound. Finally he arrived at the Royal Courts, the building that Ben had chosen to run his operations from. Sawyer took a deep breath, steeling himself, preparing himself for the worst, and pushed open the heavy wooden doors.

He stepped into the foyer. The floors were covered in finely polished marble and a grand staircase spiralled up to the mezzanine where Ben's office was. It was quiet inside, it was almost seven o'clock, and apart from a few late workers, most had gone home for the night, to their plush, warm apartments until the next day.

Sawyer walked up the stairs and stopped outside Ben's door. Before he had a chance to knock, Ben had opened it, and Sawyer knew it was to catch him off guard. An attempt to unnerve him, and start the meeting on his terms. Sawyer wouldn't allow it, and he smiled casually, without humour as he walked inside.

He took a seat on the leather-upholstered chair and settled back into it, making himself at home. Ben walked over to the other side of the desk, silently taking a seat. He didn't take his eyes off Sawyer and Sawyer couldn't help but feel uncomfortable under his gaze. If there was anyone Sawyer had met that he would describe as pure evil, it was Ben. The man delighted in others misery, and manipulation and fear was how he ruled Central. He was a master of misinformation, and half-truths. And though he wasn't a large man, his cold presence dominated the room. Sawyer could almost hear the volcano that rumbled deep beneath the still waters that Ben's face displayed.

The silence grew heavier and Sawyer was desperate to break it, but he kept quiet, waiting for Ben to speak. When he finally did, Sawyer's heart almost stopped beating in his chest.

'Where is she, James?'

He knew. Sawyer didn't know how, but Ben knew about Kate. His stomach lurched and his heart, as if trying to make up for the missing beats, began hammering so loudly that Sawyer could hear it.

He had to stay calm, couldn't betray a thing.  
'Where's who, Ben?' he said, stressing the man's name sarcastically.  
'Don't play games with me James, you know you won't win. Where is she?'  
Sawyer looked across the desk into the man's blue eyes, and although they were calm and placid, he could see the violence growing behind them. Sawyer stubbornly met them, not breaking contact. Inside though, he was breaking. He had to get to Kate, had to warn her, had to take her as far away from this damned city as he could. He'd make her come if she refused, if he could just get out of the room.

'I don't know what you're talking about,' Sawyer said casually as he got to his feet and headed towards the door. 'And you're wasting my time. You must be getting desperate now Ben, maybe you should hire the Blades again. Seems you're no closer to finding the Black Rat than before.'  
Ben shot up to his feet and glared at Sawyer across the room.  
'Her name is Kate Austin,' Ben's words came out like bullets. 'Twenty-six years old. She arrived in London twelve years ago and was taken in by a Mr John Locke. Nice girl, keeps herself to herself, only you and I both know that's not true, don't we James?'

Sawyer hadn't moved a muscle, willing his body not to betray the all out panic that was washing over him. He wanted to bolt out of the room, get away from Ben and find Kate. It was the only thing left he could do.

'You've betrayed me Sawyer,' Ben's voice took on an air of affected hurt. 'After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me.'  
Sawyer looked across at the man who had kept him in chains for so long. 'I ain't telling you anything,' he spat.  
'Don't pretend you have any honour, don't pretend you give a damn about anyone but yourself. I know you James.'  
'You don't know anything about me.'  
'We'll find her. And when we do, I'm going to kill her myself, and I'm going to let you watch, before we kill you too.'

In a flash Sawyer launched across the room, the fury in his blood manifesting itself in blind violence. He grabbed Ben by his neck and pushed him over to the wall and began squeezing it, willing him to die.

Ben's face turned purple and he spluttered as he desperately gasped for breath. Then, as Sawyer looked down at him, the fear vanished from his face, and he started laughing.

Sawyer dropped him in a flash, instantly sensing what was about to happen. He reached for the gun in his boot and spun around but it was too late. Two guards launched themselves at him and threw him to the ground, kicking and punching him. One last heavy kick against his temple and Sawyer was knocked out cold.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Sawyer woke up to a blinding pain and he groaned against it, squinting his eyes. He tried to put his hand to his head, but couldn't move it. The realisation jolted him instantly awake and he looked at his arm, horror washing over him when he saw he was chained to a wall. He looked round and saw his other arm, also bound to the rough brick wall at the wrist.

'Hey!' he shouted, not caring that his mask was slipping. He was terrified, and he couldn't hide it. He looked quickly around the room. Round brick walls encircled him. He looked up and saw a metal cage swinging from the ceiling, and sharp, rusted instruments hanging from the wall, and he knew where he was.

He was in the Tower that he'd been contemplating just hours before. The old torture chambers that had been used in time just as barbaric as this one, centuries ago.

A small metal door opened and Ben walked in. Sawyer struggled violently against his chain, desperate to get free, desperate to finish the job he'd started on the man.

'This was your choice, James,' Ben said coolly. 'You had to do this the hard way.'  
Sawyer stopped his struggle, exhausted from his earlier beating.  
'What are you going to do?' he said, the defeat evident in his voice.  
'I'm not going to do anything. I don't have to. Because she'll come for you.'  
'You're crazy,' Sawyer laughed bitterly. 'She doesn't give a damn about me.' And right now, Sawyer wished for that to be true with all his heart.

But Ben just smiled knowingly and left the room, slamming the door and locking it behind him, throwing the room into darkness.

Sawyer couldn't see anything, he could only hear the sound of his own ragged, desperate breathing as he tried to stem the panic inside. The air in the room was heavy, as if burdened with the miseries and tortured minds of a thousand souls. He closed his eyes, trying to shut the room away, utterly alone, and hopeless to protect the woman that he loved as she walked straight into Ben's hands.


	9. October 16

**October 16 2032**

Kate woke with a start, gasping to catch her breath. For a few seconds, she didn't know where she was and she sat up, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Her head spinning, she looked around her crumbling hideout, focussing on the damp and faded art nouveau wallpaper that was peeling at the corners, and the dusty wooden floorboards that streamed in light from the floors below. She allowed her mind a moment to catch up with reality, before heavily slumping back onto her makeshift bed.

It was the same nightmare she'd had for the last few days, though she could never quite grasp it when she woke up. Inside her dream, she couldn't move or speak, but she could never remember anymore than that.

She stared at the ceiling, following the deep cracks in it as they mapped thin rivers from wall to wall. Her breathing slowly steadied, and then after a moment, a small smile crept on to her face, her nightmare fading and replaced with thoughts of the night ahead. She was meeting Sawyer for another job in Central. It had been over a week since she'd seen him, since he had kissed her, and she had played the moment over in her mind ever since.

She rolled her eyes at herself and got up and walked over to her kitchen, boiling herself some water over her small gas burner. She poured herself a coffee, careful to only use a small amount. She'd made it last for three months, but she was nearly all out. She wondered absently if she'd be able to steal food from the storage they were raiding tonight. It seemed a shame to set fire to it when there were so many needy in the slums.

She took her coffee and sat down on her favourite spot on the windowsill and gazed out at the city, sighing heavily, her smile fading. She wondered when it was that Sawyer had come to consume her thoughts so completely. She barely recognised herself.

She was losing focus. She never let people too close, but with Sawyer, it was as if she didn't have a choice. She didn't have to say a word. He already seemed to know everything. She couldn't hide and hiding is what she did best. But when he kissed her, everything in her life seemed to fall in to place, just for a few, short seconds…

But she couldn't let him get any further under her skin. She couldn't help feeling that if she did, she would lose herself to him completely. He already had such a hold on her, and it was so hard trying not to let it show.

Heavy grey clouds rolled over the city and she caught the smell of the electric potential for rain hanging in the air.

Suddenly Kate heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming from below, inside the building. The colour drained from her face as she bolted over to her weapons cabinet and took out her new silencer. Her heart pounding, she ran lightly across the floor to the doorway to the stairs. She opened it slowly and crept over to the balcony that looked down to the ground floor.

The noise grew louder as the person below climbed the stairs. Kate aimed her gun, following the sound like a target as it spiralled upwards towards her. Then John Locke came into view, his head raising to look up at her, and a slow smile creeping on to his face. He rose his hands in mock surrender.

Kate exhaled loudly, trying to calm her beating heart.  
'What are you doing here?' she asked irritably, as he carried on his ascent to her floor.  
He finally stopped as he arrived, and stood in front of her, looking at her earnestly. 'Sorry if I scared you,' he said lightly. 'Can I come in?'

Kate frowned at him, but opened the door and let him step through.  
'I don't remember telling you where I lived John,' she said, turning her back on him and walking back to the windowsill.  
'You didn't,' he replied.

Kate watched him through narrowed eyes as he took a seat in her small chair by the table. She chewed on her lip as she tried to predict what was so important that it had brought him to her hideout. She waited for him to speak, not bothering to hide her impatience.

'Nice place you got here,' John said, looking around at the dusty, grey room. Kate glared at him, though inside she could feel a ball of dread growing inside the pit of her stomach. John looked up at her and met her eyes, and dropped his act.

'Sayid wanted to see you himself but I wouldn't tell him where you lived. So I'm here instead,' he said. 'Job's off tonight Kate,'  
'What do you mean?' Kate asked cautiously. 'What's happened?'  
There was a long pause before John answered and Kate felt like she might scream.

'Remember the list? From the Alpert mansion?' John asked, his tone changing, as if trying a new approach.  
Kate just waited for him to continue.  
'Do you know Hugo Reyes?' John asked.  
'Not well,' Kate replied shortly. 'Seen him in your bar a few times.'

'He was found dead last week. Murdered,' John said, sighing heavily.  
Kate frowned. 'I'm sorry to hear that, but what…'  
'His name was on a list,' John said. 'He shouldn't have been on there at all,' he added quietly, and Kate saw that he was genuinely upset. And then what he told her began to sink in, and the feeling of dread inside her grew larger.  
'What are you doing here John?' she asked shakily, not sure if she could bear the answer.  
'Sawyer was also on the list. That means he's marked, Kate,' John said, looking at her closely. 'He disappeared a week ago.'

Kate's heart stopped beating, she stopped breathing. Her mind simply froze of all thought, John's last three words echoed hollowly, repeating themselves over and over in her mind.

A week ago. _A week_.

She couldn't find her voice, she couldn't find anything to hold on to. She looked away from John, forgetting he was there and stared robotically out of the window. She couldn't feel a thing.

'No,' she whispered, not knowing where the denial had come from. She shook her head and stood up and turned back to John, as if on autopilot. 'No,' she said, louder now.  
'Kate,' John said sternly, as if anticipating her next words.  
'He's not dead. They've got him,' and suddenly Kate was certain.  
'How can you be so sure?' John asked tiredly.  
Kate looked away again, not sure how to explain, not sure if she wanted to. Everything inside her was telling her that he was alive. Her instincts were never wrong, and they were all she ever had to rely on.

'Find out where they're keeping him,' she said, the professional criminal inside her taking over.  
John just looked at her, Kate couldn't tell what he was thinking. She didn't care. As long as he just did as she asked. After what seemed like a lifetime, he nodded at her and made towards the door. When he reached it he turned around to look at her one last time. 'You shouldn't be doing this,' he said.  
She didn't reply.  
'We need you, Kate. The slums need you.'  
When she still didn't respond, John shook his head sadly. 'You ever think this might be a trap?' he asked.  
'Careful on the stairs, John,' she said quietly, gently ignoring his question.  
John looked at her, almost regretfully, and turned around, closing the door firmly behind him.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Kate looked up at huge castle and its network of towers that loomed insurmountably in front of her. She hadn't given any thought about how she would get in, all she had been focussing on was getting here. It was dark now, well after eleven o'clock, but the moon barely shone and the sky was black and clouded. She shuddered as she looked at the ancient building, trembling with anticipation with what she would find inside.

John had told her that _if_ Sawyer was being kept alive, he would be in the Devereux tower at the front of the castle. Kate looked at it now and could only see two ways in. A huge wooden door at the bottom which was defended by a solitary guard, or a tiny arched and slitted window high up on the rounded brick wall.

She reached for the grapple inside her bag, and aiming carefully, she threw it up and watched as it wrapped itself over the window frame on the other side. She tested the rope before grabbing it, and hauling herself up. The window was much smaller than she had anticipated, but she squeezed one leg through, finding hard ground with the tips of her toes, and bent forward to pull the rest of her body in.

Suddenly the wall beside her exploded in a small ball of brick dust. She looked down in horror and saw a Central guard, on the lush green lawn outside, staring up at her, his face hidden in the darkness, his rifle gleaming.

He raised the gun again and Kate frantically pulled the rest of her body through the small space, the rough brick grazing her stomach and arms.

She landed unsteadily on to a royal red carpet that ran the length of the corridor she found herself in. She scrambled to her feet and dove into the nearest shadow, slipping behind a tall marble statue. She held her breath. From outside Kate could hear shouting. Any second now, she thought, and the alarm would be raised. She could hear voices above and below her indicating a large presence inside the tower she was in.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to calm her nerves, hating that she was so unprepared. She forcefully pushed the fear out, trying to give her mind clarity. Her body coiled like a spring, she slipped out of her hiding place and skulked down the short corridor, praying she was at least going the right way to get down to the stairs to the lower levels. She came to another door and gently opened it and found herself staring into the face of a baby-faced Central guard.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment in shock, as if each was waiting for the other to make the first move. At that moment, the low wail of an air siren ran across the grounds, signalling an intruder. And then all hell broke loose.

Kate quickly brought up her elbow and smashed it hard into the man's face before he could make another move. He screamed with pain and hit the floor, clutching on to his bloody face. Kate heard the sound of excited shouting and hurried footsteps came from above and below, coming closer to the floor that she was on.

All she could do now was get downstairs and hope that she could free Sawyer, and they could fight their way out together. She pulled out her silencer and spotting the stairs, she sprinted towards them.

As she reached the top step, two guards ran up, lunging for her immediately. Kate deftly jumped out of the way, pistol-whipping one of them from behind, and delivering a lethal kick into the crotch of the other. He went down screaming, his red-face contorting in agony.

Kate grabbed the knife out of his belt and the gun he had tucked into his heavy boots, thinking she would give them to Sawyer. She ran down the stairs and found herself in another corridor. Two more guards were at the end of it. They saw her instantly, one of them laughing menacingly and the other shouting for her to stop. Without hesitation, Kate ran right towards them in what seemed like a game of chicken, but at the last minute she jumped up on to a table and leapt over the two startled men. With an expert arc of the knife, she slashed the back of their knees, cutting them deep and sending them buckling to the floor.

As she sprinted down the next set of stairs, the carpet that had lined the route so far ended, giving way to hard stone flooring. The walls here were cobwebbed and unadorned with the intricate tapestries that had lined the other floors. Kate knew she was close. She heard a commotion not far behind her and knew she didn't have much time.

She took the steps two at a time and landed heavily on the hard ground below, and had to throw her hands forward to balance herself. She quickly got up and took in her surroundings. She was in a small stone room, with three heavy doors at the end of it. A guard had his back to her, and by some miracle of fate, he hadn't noticed or heard her clumsy entry. She slipped through the door and closed it gently behind her, praying it wouldn't creak. Holding her breathe, she carefully pulled the heavy bolt across the door, locking herself in.

She walked silently towards the guard, her gun aimed, and her face like steel. She stopped no less than a couple of feet behind him, and cocked her gun, the sound echoing around the cold stone room like thunder. She saw the guard tense and move to get up out of his chair.  
'Don't move,' she said, he words coming out like cold ice. 'Don't say a word.'

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

When Sawyer heard Kate's voice, he thought he must be dreaming. Her image, the sound of her voice, the feel of her kiss… it was all he had to keep himself from going insane. He hadn't left the cell in a week, hadn't seen light, or spoken to another person. All he had was the dark and his memories.

So when he heard her voice, a muffled sound coming from the other side of his cell door, he ascribed it to delirium.

Then the door flew open, and there she was, like an angel, the light behind her so bright and blinding that he had to squeeze his eyes shut against it.

He tried to speak to the apparition, but his mouth was dry, his lips cracked. A cacophony of sound followed her, the splitting of wood, the tumbling of footsteps and she was upon him, pulling at his wrists, shaking him roughly, and he couldn't make sense of any of it.

Suddenly he felt her lips on his, warm and soft, and he felt something inside stir, jolting him gently awake. He felt cool metal as she pressed something on to his tongue with hers. and then a cold space where she had been. He frowned, still confused, as he tasted the rusty metal object in his mouth.

Sawyer tried to open his eyes, but couldn't. He could hear male voices shouting, a sickening crack of breaking skin, and then a scream. Kate's scream. And then he heard a roar. A guttural, primal roar of rage that he realised was coming from him.


	10. October 17

**October 17 2032**

Sawyer had never felt so awake in his life. The fog that had clouded him, the exhaustion that weighed him down, had gone in an instant. She'd come for him. She wasn't a dream, but this was a nightmare.

He heard the sound of dragging and scraping as Kate was pulled away. The guards laughed, excited with their catch.

'We've got ourselves a prize here,' one of them sneered in his thick east end accent. 'What shall we do with her lads?'  
The voices faded as they left the room.  
The last thing Sawyer heard before they went into the adjacent cell was the menacingly-spoken reply: 'They're gonna hang her in the morning. I say we have our fun with her while we can…'

Sawyer spat out the metal object in his mouth, and saw it was a key. Kate's last desperate attempt to help him, but it was useless unless he could free his arms.

He pulled violently at his chains, panic washing over him in chilling waves, desperation building with every failed attempt. His wrists were already bloodied and bruised after a week of hopeless struggle, but the pain was nothing compared to his ferocious determination.

He yanked as hard as he could, sweating with the strain, an agonising shockwave of pain running up and down his arm, and still the bolt at the wall wouldn't come free. He stopped for a moment, willing his arms, that were trembling with exertion, to still. Focussing, concentrating, willing to get loose harder than he'd willed anything before.

He breathed in deeply, and pulled hard at the chain. No movement. He pulled again, gritting his teeth against the pain, and still it wouldn't come loose. Sweating with exhaustion, and summoning the last ounce of strength he could muster, he pulled one last time, and the bolt flew out of the dusty brick wall, a puff of mortar exploding into the air.

His heart sang with relief, joy washing over him, but Sawyer didn't waste a second.

He scrambled blindly on the floor, trying to find the key. His fingers passed over it and he grabbed it and jammed it into the keyhole on his other arm, turned it, and heard the blessed click of freedom as the shackle popped open.

The rage and desperation he had been feeling inside him turned into cold, deadly violence.

The guards had left his door unlocked in the excitement and Sawyer pulled it open. He heard the sound of shouting and screaming, as if a pack of animals were loose in the building. He marched over to the door and yanked it open, and was met with a sight he had tried to erase from his mind ever since.

She was curled on the floor in the foetal position, so tiny and delicate, a stark contrast to the rough stone floor of the cold stark cell. Her arms covered her head in defence, and a small pool of blood matted her hair and escaped on to the stone. Three guards stood above her, rolled up sleeves and bloodied fists, a look of vacant pleasure on their faces.

When they saw Sawyer, they backed off slightly, their faces draining of colour as they looked up at him, his face sending out a message that could not have been mistaken. His eyes flashed, feral and violent, as he launched at the guard closest to Kate, who Sawyer knew had taken the final blow. He punched him in the face, feeling the crunch of his breaking nose beneath his fist. He grabbed the gun out of the man's belt and spun around to face the other two. They were shaking, too scared to even reach for their own weapons. Without blinking, Sawyer raised his gun and fired two shots. His bullets reached their targets with brutal precision. The two men slumped simultaneously, lifeless to the floor.

Sawyer turned to the guard he had first attacked, who was whimpering on the floor and clutching his hand to his broken nose.  
'Please… please…' he gasped, his voice shaking in terror, his eyes wide and desperate. Sawyer didn't even pause before lifting the gun, and shooting him, between the eyes. Another life snuffed out in an instant.

Sawyer breathed in and out deeply, just once, before he turned away and crouched in front of Kate.

She wasn't moving. He gently put his hand to her head, and felt the sticky liquid on her temple. Her face was deathly pale, she had another cut on her forehead, and another on the corner of her lip that had already bruised. Her top had been lifted in the scuffle, and Sawyer saw an angry, red footprint on the side of her stomach.

'Kate,' he whispered, shaking her gently. 'Freckles… wake up,'  
She didn't stir. Quelling his rage at the animals who did this to her, at every son of a bitch in Central, but most of all at Ben, he put one arm underneath her back, and slid the other behind her knees, scooping her up into his arms.  
'Come on, girl,' he said tenderly, whispering in to her ear, pressing his lips to her cold, pale cheek. 'You're gonna be ok.'  
Her breathing was barely audible, and her face was utterly drained of colour, but Sawyer couldn't think about that now. All he could think about was getting her out of the tower. He saw Kate's silencer, the one she had taken the night of the weapons explosion, and he snatched it from the floor, putting the one he had stolen from the guard in his pocket.

He walked slowly out of the room with Kate's lifeless body in his arms, stepping over the bodies of the men he had killed without a backwards glance.

As he took the first step up the spiral, stone staircase, he heard the distant sound of the air-raid siren. His mind raced as he tried to think of a way out. He knew the layout of the building well, and knew every exit would be heavily guarded, except one. Traitors' Gate. The water gate that led straight on to the river. Sometimes a boat was moored there, but there was a chance it could be on the south bank of the river. It was a gamble Sawyer had no choice but to take. He ran up the stairs, the weight of Kate's body not slowing him down a fraction, despite his week of inaction.

As he arrived at the top of the stairs, he waited a moment, listening for guards, but it was utterly quiet, save for the eerie wail of the siren echoing through the air.

He walked along the corridor, his eyes looking straight ahead, fearless, and ready for whatever came his way. He took the next flight up to the ground floor level, but as he reached the door, he heard voices on the other side.

'They got her. Old Eric's gone to get the boss,' one voice said excitedly.  
'Lucky bastards,' came a low growl. 'Look's like Smith's gonna get a pay rise.'

Sawyer put Kate down, resting her gently against the wall, and took out his blade. He pressed himself against the wall and waited, and in a second the door opened, and he heard the sound of footsteps, walking away from him down the corridor, muffled by the plush red carpet, echoing from the oak wood floor beneath.

He stealthily walked behind them, silently moving closer until they were in reaching distance. Then he grabbed the back of one of the guards heads by his hair, pulled him back into him, and with a powerful slash, brought the knife across his throat, feeling the instant burst of hot blood on his hands. He pushed the man forward in disgust and turned to the other, whose mind hadn't caught up with what had occurred, and plunged the knife into his chest.

He had turned around before the man had even hit the floor, running quickly back to Kate, hating to leave her even for a second.

He ran to the entrance of the small inner tower and pulled it open, feeling the rush of ice cold wind hit him and wrap itself around him.

He ran across the courtyard, ducking into the shadows when he saw another three guards leave one tower and head towards the one he'd just been in. He saw the antechamber of the gate ahead of him and ran with renewed vigour, escape so close at hand. Still clutching Kate, he pulled back the huge metal bolt aside and pushed open the heavy doors with his shoulder, nearly laughing out loud in relief as they gave way, scraping across the cold stone.

He rushed in, and pulled the doors back behind him. He turned around, and was met with a scene that chilled his bones.

Ben Linus. Standing calmly in front of the pool of murky brown water separated from the river behind by the gate. A smile on his face, a curl of victory on his lips. In the water behind him was a tiny wooden boat, rocking gently on the swell, teasing Sawyer with it's promise of freedom.

'Now how did I know that you'd come here, James?' he said, his voice smug.  
'You want to live,' Sawyer snarled. 'You'd best get out of my way.'  
'That's not the way this works and you're not in control here. What did you think was going to happen, James?' he said, humourless laughter in his tone. 'Thought I was just going to let you walk out of here?  
Ben looked hard at Sawyer, the mirth on his face replaced by pure venom.  
'You've got something that belongs to me,' he said, eyeing Kate. 'And I'd like it back.'  
In a flash, Sawyer reached for the gun in his jeans, but was stopped by the whiz of a bullet, slicing through the air, sparking the ground by his feet.  
'Why don't you put the gun down, Sawyer,' Ben said, more an order than a request.

At that moment, the sound of a thunderous explosion rippled through the air, tearing through the night, lighting it an electric orange. And then another, and another. Ben crouched to his knees, covering his head.

Sawyer took the opportunity and ran towards Ben, kicking him hard in the face, hard enough that the smaller man flew back into the water behind, landing with a splash, inaudible behind the explosions.

He lifted his gun to the air and saw the sniper, illuminated in the flaming night sky, and shot. The man fell forward and landed with a sickening crunch on the hard floor.

Sawyer ran over to the boat and placed Kate gently inside, carefully resting her head on the side and ran to the heavy metal ratchet, desperately turning it. It squealed as it slowly started to turn, and waters from the river rushed in and swelled the pool. It splashed against him, plastering his clothes to his body and his hair to his face as he turned it until the doors were fully open. He ran to the side of the boat and untied it from its moor, and giving it a push, he jumped in. He grabbed the oar and started pushing against the water until the boat was on the open river.

He paddled hard against the rough, choppy waters of the Thames, his arms screaming in agony and exhaustion, his breathing ragged, but his eyes staring straight ahead.

It was over an hour before he stopped to rest. He looked at Kate, still unconscious, the gash on her forehead giving way to an angry purple bruise, contrasting with her pale skin. He reached forward and shakily moved a curly lock of brown hair out of her eyes.

He turned his head just once to look back. He didn't know what had happened… who had caused the explosion, but from here, the whole city looked like it was on fire. The tower, which had seemed so imposing, was small in the distance, he could see the old ferris wheel on the south bank, rotating slowly, making its ghostly cycle, and the gothic structure of the old houses of parliament, pure black against the orange sky.

He turned his back on it, refusing to look anymore.

'Hey…' he whispered to Kate, his angel, his saviour. 'Can you hear me? You're going to be okay. You're going to be alright. Just hold on.'

The tiny boat drifted down the river, the stream of water taking them further and further away from the city, and deeper into the wild, untamed lands that lay beyond.


	11. October 19

**A/N: Big thanks to BrilliantInsanity, you're worth fifty cheering squadsxx**

**October 19 2032**

Sawyer's eyes snapped open to clear blue sky, streaked with white, wispy trails of cloud. He heard the creaking of the wooden planks of the boat, the gentle lapping of the river, kissing the side of the small hull. It had all permeated into the last few notes of his dreams, gently rocking him awake and back to consciousness.

He sat up, ignoring the protest from his aching, exhausted body, and looked at Kate. They had been drifting for a day and a half and still she hadn't woken. The longer she slept, the more Sawyer thought he would go out of his mind. He blamed himself completely. If he had never gone to see Ben, if he hadn't been caught, if he had just left her alone that first night in the bar, she wouldn't be here now, hurt and pale as the white clouds that drifted above. She breathed, but her breaths were shallow, erratic and tortured, as if it was painful to do so. Sawyer had torn off the sleeves of his shirt, and wrapped one around her head, covering the gash on her forehead. He looked at it now, already soaked through with blood.

He had to get her some help, but he had no idea where he was, or where to go. Sawyer had rarely been outside of London. He barely knew anything about the rest of England, apart from rumours and stories that would seep through to the city. According to what he'd heard, the cities, towns and villages outside of London were more dangerous than the roughest parts of the slums. It was ungoverned, lawless and dangerous, overrun with villains and vigilantes. Traders and travellers often disappeared, ambushed or murdered. Sawyer had actually thought it didn't sound so bad. But he had Kate to think about, and just three guns. He had the one he'd stolen, one that he had taken from Kate, a replica of his, so he figured she had stolen it on her way in to the Tower, and Kate's silencer, which had no bullets left.

He looked out at the horizon, trying to get a grip on his new surroundings. He thought he was probably supposed to find the view beautiful. But he didn't. It unnerved him. He was so used to the constant hum of the city, the clanging of machinery, the bustling of the slums, the greys, the blacks.

The grass by the banks of the river was a deep green, tall reeds burst through the water from the riverbed below and water-lillies bobbed on the surface. He could hear the distant sounds of frogs croaking, and birds warbling. To the east was nothing but gently rolling hills of emerald, the expanse unbroken apart from a few heavy oak trees dotting the landscape. To the west was a patchwork of different colours, reds mixed with whites, yellows and violets and blues. What was once hard-worked agricultural lands, surrendered to nature. They were framed by the edge of a thick forest of chestnut trees and birches.

Beyond it all, was a barely visible, snaking trail of dark grey. Sawyer squinted, trying to focus his eyes on it. A road, he realised, miles away in the distance.

He looked again at Kate, and back towards the horizon. It could lead somewhere, to some kind of civilisation. He needed to get her help, but he didn't want to walk her into further, unknown danger.

He looked back at her, she looked like she was just sleeping, the sun above dancing red and gold in her hair, her freckles more visible than ever against her pale complexion. He made his decision there and then.

He stepped out of the boat, keeping one hand on it, making sure it didn't drift away from him. He carefully lifted Kate out, hoping desperately he wasn't doing any more damage by moving her. But she didn't make a sound.

'Still don't want to talk?' Sawyer said as he started off on the long walk towards the flower fields ahead and the road beyond. 'You gotta be the most stubborn woman I know, awake _or_ asleep.'

He shifted the weight of her in his arms, leaning her back into his chest, adjusting to his rhythm as he walked through the tall grass. 'Well that's ok, Freckles, you take all the time you need.'  
He began to pick up his pace, feeling his muscles unwind, glad to be moving and to have a purpose. He decided he'd walk close enough to the road to follow it, but far enough that he wouldn't draw unwanted attention.

Kate was light in his arms and he made good progress, reaching the flower fields and the forest three hours after he'd set out. When he got there, he stopped to look at the horizon again. The road seemed just as far away as it always had, it was barely visible, blurring into the landscape.

The walk had made him thirsty and he bit his lip as he looked at Kate, knowing he needed to get her water fast. He started off again towards the road, trying to quicken his pace, trying to stave off the fear inside, and the anger. If anything happened to her, if she didn't wake up, he would turn back around and burn the whole city down, reduce it to ashes.

'Guess I owe you a thank you,' he said after a long while. 'We're out of London… You shouldn't have come though, shoulda left me there... Been asking myself why you did it.'  
Sawyer knew the answer, just as he knew she would come for him. She was in as deep as he was. He shook his head and looked down at her resting form. She was the strongest woman he knew, but she looked so small now.  
'You're gonna pull through this Freckles.'

He trudged through the thick undergrowth and grasses, hating the place more and more. It was the sky that unnerved Sawyer the most. There was so much of it. In the city he could only see it when he raised his head, here it curved over him and stretched as far as he could see beyond, only stopping when the ground rose up to meet it on the horizon. It made him feel trapped and contained. He moved closer towards the edge of the forest, following the line of trees, snapping twigs and crunching leaves beneath his feet.

When the sun finally began to set, Sawyer was still walking, his resolve not wavering a fraction, but his worry for Kate gnawing at him, trying to break him. He told himself she was just concussed, that the blow to her head had been too much of a shock. A temporary shut-down. But the small, destructive part of him inside was telling him it was something much worse, that she'd never wake up, that he'd done this to her, that he'd lost her.

As the sun went down, the fields and forests around him took on a new kind of nature. The warbling and singing was replaced by starker, stouter bird calls. The wind had picked up and it rushed, whistling through the trees, and rustled the long grasses around him. It was a while until he realised he heard something else too, that it had been there for a while, but he'd only just registered it. Water. Faint in the forest, but definitely the sound of water babbling, splashing softly over ground.

Sawyer turned quickly and made his way towards it, walking deeper into the forest. It was much darker with the canopy above, and he had to quickly adjust his eyes to the dimness.

The trees grew close to each other and the walk became harder, but the promise of water pushed him forward. The ground beneath him rose higher and higher, but he took heavy strides as he walked.

It felt like an hour had passed when he finally reached the top of the last rise. He looked down and he saw it. A small stream - crystal clear - babbling over rocks, marking out it's own path through the forest. A small brown deer drank by the side of it, but suddenly froze as Sawyer came into view. Sawyer looked back it at, wondering if he could shoot it for food. Suddenly it bolted, as if sensing it's danger, it's lanky legs scrambling to get away, hopping erratically as it sprinted back into the forest behind.

Sawyer watched it retreat for a moment, cursing under his breath before he walked towards the edge of the stream. He gently placed Kate down, resting her head on soft earth and moss. He went over to the water and scooped some into his hands, and drank it down. It was ice-cold, and the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted. Truly clean water was a rarity in the slums.

He cupped some more in his hands and turned to Kate, bringing the cool liquid to her lips. He looked at the bandage on her head and frowned, and reached forward. He unwrapped it as gently as he could. It was covered in blood. He took it over to the water and washed it until it rinsed clear, then he brought it back over to Kate, and dabbed it carefully at the wound on her forehead. Then he took out the other, dry sleeve he'd ripped off his shirt earlier, and wrapped it gently, but firmly around the cut. He watched it carefully for a moment, and when no fresh blood came, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He rinsed off the cloth again and this time gently cleaned the cut on her lip. It wasn't too bad, but he knew when she woke up, it would sting like hell. The rest were bruises and he could do nothing for them. She had purple-yellow marks where she'd been gripped on her arm, and the bruise on her ribs where she'd been stamped still bore the footprint of the guard that had done it to her. Seeing it, Sawyer felt no ounce of remorse for what he'd done to the men who did this to her. He'd do it again in a heart beat. He _wanted_ to do it again. Make them suffer like they'd made Kate suffer.

He finished cleaning her up, and sat down next to her. He was utterly exhausted. He hadn't realised how much until now. He'd been beaten, chained to a wall for seven days, starved. He'd escaped the tower, rode down the Thames in a dinghy. Walked God knows how many miles with Kate in his arms. His mind was equally exhausted. So much had happened, he couldn't catch up. He sighed heavily, not wanting to admit defeat, but knowing he wouldn't be able to take another step right now.

'We just might have to make camp here tonight, Freckles,' he said, looking around ruefully. He moved closer to her and pulled his jacket off, wrapping it around her slim form, rubbing her arms slightly in an effort to keep her warm.

He cursed himself for quitting smoking. He had no clue how to start a fire, and the temperature would drop in a couple of hours. He decided just to rest for an hour or so, before picking up where he'd left off before he'd come to the brook.

He rested his back against a fallen log, and brought up his knees. He put one arm over Kate, resting his hand on the ground beside her, covering her like a shield. He shut his eyes, just wanting to rest them for a few moments. He felt sleep trying to take over him, and he fought against it, rubbing hard at his eyes and forcing them open.

Just as he was about to fall asleep again, he heard a noise in the forest, leaves rustling, the snapping of twigs below feet.

Sawyer jumped up and drew his gun, looking down nervously at Kate. The noise drew closer and closer. He couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. He scanned the area all around him, but all he saw were trees and the darkness between them.

The sound stopped for a moment, as if cut off, and the forest quieted to an eerie stillness. Sawyer spun around again, his heart beating.

Suddenly a man burst through the trees, sweating as if he'd run for miles, his eyes darting left and right fearfully. He wore a dark blue shirt, open wide at the neck. He had long brown hair, and a look of quiet, unspoken desperation in his eyes. He froze, his eyes widening when he saw Sawyer, and the gun.

'Don't shoot,' he said, his words coming out breathlessly.

Sawyer didn't lower his gun. He looked at the man through narrowed eyes. He looked frightened, though whatever it was that scared him, it wasn't Sawyer. He lowered the gun, though he still trained it carefully on the stranger.

The man looked around him desperately, as if searching for a way out. His eyes fell on Kate.  
'You're friend. She's hurt?' he said, taking a few steps towards her.  
'Don't touch her!' Sawyer growled.  
The man stopped instantly, and took a few steps back. 'I'm sorry. I…'

His words trailed off as he looked at Sawyer, raising his hands in a gesture of peace.  
'You don't have to… I'm not going to…'  
He stopped and looked Sawyer earnestly in the eyes.  
'You can put the gun down, brother…'


	12. October 21

**Thanks as always BrilliantInsanity!**

**October 21 2032**

When Kate finally woke up, she found herself in a room made of oak, in a soft bed, with a sleeping Sawyer in the chair next to her. At first she thought she was still dreaming. She'd had so many dreams, vivid and frightening, abstract and joyous, so real, unreal, all layered into one, rolling and roaring like waves through her mind.

The first thing she registered when she opened her eyes were the excruciating throbs of pain, pulsing through her head. She breathed sharply against them, and felt another bolt of agony from her ribs that brought instant tears to the corners of her eyes.

She steadied her breathing, willing away her pain, or at least, summoning the strength to bear it. She lifted a hand to her eyes and wiped away the tears there, trying not to be alarmed by the weakness she felt at the small motion.

Then her heart started pounding, panicked and loud in her chest, as it all came flooding back to her. The Tower. _Sawyer_. He'd been chained to the wall. The sight had shaken her to the core, his bruised face, the tortured look in his eyes. They'd pulled her off him, grasping at her, tearing at her, and then they were upon her like a pack of animals. She'd thought she was going to die, and then… nothing.

But now Sawyer sat on a chair next to her bed, his head resting on his arms on her mattress, his spun gold hair covering his face. He was alive. They were alive. In a strange room, in a new place. As if nothing had happened, as if the universe had shifted and reality had changed. She tried to say his name but her throat was dry. She swallowed hard, trying again.

'Sawyer?' she said, barely above a whisper.  
He didn't stir, too deep in his sleep to hear her. She moved her arm and slapped the back of her hand against his head impatiently. He suddenly sat bolt upright, reaching for his gun and looking around the room. Kate laughed slightly at his reaction, instantly regretting it when she felt another wave of pain from her head at the sudden movement.

Sawyer looked at her, his face blank for a few moments, as if he was making sure she was real. After a few moments, a huge smile broke out, lighting up his face, deepening his dimples. Kate couldn't help but shoot him a small smile back despite her aches and bruises. It was contagious.

'Hey Freckles,' he said, his voice thick with barely checked emotion. 'Nice of you to join us.'

She looked at him, a thousand questions waiting to be asked in her mind.  
'What happened? How did you get free?' she asked, coughing slightly, wincing against the pain it caused.  
'You happened,' Sawyer said, grinning at her. 'Let me get you some water.'  
He grabbed a clay mug from the table beside him and Kate shuffled up the bed slightly, so she was nearly sitting up.

Sawyer brought the cup to her lips but Kate shook her head and reached for it. Sawyer smiled at her stubbornness, but patiently held it out for her. She curled her hands round it, instantly realising she felt too weak to carry it. He still held on to it, his fingers grazing hers. As if reading her thoughts, Sawyer allowed her to lead and guide the cup to her lips, while he took the weight of it.

She drank it down. The cool liquid felt like the freshest thing she'd ever tasted.  
'Thanks,' she said looking at Sawyer sheepishly when she was finished, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. 'Tastes good.'

'You gave me a scare Freckles,' Sawyer said, putting the cup back on the table and turning to her. 'Thought you were just gonna go on sleeping.'  
Kate looked back at him and saw the tiredness in his eyes, the traces of worry still lining his face. She wondered what he had gone through, knowing he wouldn't tell her the half of it. He was too proud for that. But Kate could tell it had been hard for him. He almost looked like he was the one who should be resting in the bed.

'How long have I been out?' she asked.  
Sawyer looked at her, his face softening into concern. She rolled her eyes at him.  
'Sawyer,' she said, looking at him sternly. 'How long?'  
'Four days.'  
Kate gasped, despite herself. 'Four days? How?'  
A shadow fell across Sawyer's face.  
'They got you pretty bad, Freckles,' he said darkly, and Kate noticed his jaw set tight. He looked away as he said it, but she saw the flash in his eyes before he did, and it told her everything she needed to know. He'd killed them.

Her eyes widened and she stared at him, speechless, not sure how to feel.  
'Doctor says you'll be fine though,' he added quietly, not meeting her eyes.  
'Doctor?' Kate asked absently.  
'I can go get her,' Sawyer said, suddenly turning back to her, his eyes softening again.  
'Wait,' Kate said quickly. 'Just stay here for a few minutes, ok?'  
'Ok,' Sawyer said quietly, settling back down. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the bed. They sat together in a comfortable silence, Sawyer looking at Kate, Kate looking around the room.

'Where are we?' she asked gesturing around at the small space. Rough wooden panels lined the walls and instead of pictures, they were adorned with green ivy and bunches of twigs tied together with string. The furniture was simple and coarse, a hand-woven rug covered half of the floor. She heard the sound of birds singing outside, and water, running water falling into a pool. The smell of grass filled the air. Grass, earth and pine.  
'It's a long story,' Sawyer replied. 'We'll talk about it later, when you've had some rest'  
'I'm not tired Sawyer. I've been sleeping for four days. Where are we?'

Sawyer sighed and leaned back in the chair. 'I don't know exactly. Long way down river. Way out of London. I was heading towards a road and took a detour through the forest. There was this guy. Desmond. He brought us here. More houses just like this one just outside, Freckles. They built a god damn village in the forest.'  
'Why?' Kate asked.  
'Damned if I know,' Sawyer said, shrugging. 'I do know that he wouldn't have brought me here if I didn't have a gun to his head.'  
Kate and Sawyer looked at each other, processing the information, trying to glean what the other was thinking. Suddenly, a knock came at the door, making them both jump.

Sawyer got up and walked slowly to the door, looking to Kate with a question in his eyes. She nodded her assent and he pulled it open.  
'Well, well. Look who's come to visit. If it ain't my old friend Des,' Sawyer drawled, his earlier softness with Kate shifting to bravado. He opened the door wider and Kate looked up curiously to see the other man walk in.

He was nervous, she could tell, his body tense, his movements stilted, but he smiled genuinely when he saw her.  
'You're awake,' he said in a lilting Scottish accent.  
Kate nodded and smiled sweetly, her own mask coming up in the company of others.  
'Yeah,' she said. 'I owe you a thank you.'  
'No,' Desmond said, looking at the floor, his eyes darting left and right. 'Really. There's no need.'  
Kate frowned. He was hiding something, she could tell. She glanced at Sawyer and he nodded at her, looking slightly relieved, as if he was glad to be able to share his concerns with someone else.

'So what can I do for ya, Des?' Sawyer asked, smiling the smile that Kate had come to recognise. There was no warmth in it, but it wasn't malicious... more sneeringly amused.

'I… Everyone is looking forward to meeting you both properly… if you are feeling well enough that is…' Desmond said, glancing at Kate. 'I've been asked to invite you both to dinner, tomorrow night. We all eat together, at the long table by the willow.'  
'Well ain't that quaint…' Sawyer said, playing the southern gentlemen, turning to smile at Kate.  
'Sounds good,' Kate said, before Sawyer had a chance to drop an insult.  
'Right,' Desmond said. 'I'll see you tomorrow then, aye?' He hovered at the door for a moment, his eyes moving from Kate to Sawyer and around the room, looking as if he was going to say something more. But he didn't, instead quickly turning around and leaving the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

'Well,' Kate said, after a few moments, when she was sure they were alone. 'That was… strange.'  
'Yeah,' Sawyer agreed, crossing the room to sit beside the bed again.  
'What do you think is going on?'  
'I don't know, Freckles,' Sawyer said heavily. 'Best be on our guard though.'  
Kate nodded, and settled back in the bed.

'You hungry?' he asked after a few quiet moments, looking at her with concern.  
'Yeah,' Kate replied. In fact, she was ravenous. She hadn't eaten the night she'd gone to the tower, and it had been four days since then.  
'Let me go get the doctor, let her take a look at you, and I'll see if I can find you something to eat,' he said getting up again and moving over to the door.  
'Ok,' Kate said. She wanted to tell him not to be long, but stopped herself, hating the way it sounded even in her own head. She felt out of her element, and weak. It made her feel vulnerable, and dependant.

He looked back at her once and she smiled thinly at him and nodded. He left the room, plunging it into quiet.

After a few minutes a knock came at the door and it swept open before Kate could answer. A small, older woman with greying dark hair walked briskly into the room, shutting the door behind her. She paused for a moment, looking at Kate curiously, before she came towards her and took a seat on the chair.

'I'm Anne,' she said, the smile on her lips not quite reaching her eyes. 'I just want to quickly check you over, and then I'll let you get something to eat. Dinner's just been served. Your husband's gone to get you a plate,'  
'He's not my husband,' Kate said quickly, wondering why the suggestion made the blood rush to her head. It aggravated her headache and she rubbed at her temple.

'No?' the other woman asked, surprised. 'He hasn't left you're side since you got here.'  
Kate just smiled tightly, not knowing what to say, the blush on her face deepening.  
'Can you lift up your top?' Anne asked.  
Kate took the material at the bottom of her black vest and pulled it up to her chest. She winced as the doctor pressed her hands over her ribs.  
'Nothing broken,' the woman said. 'Though you're pretty badly bruised.'  
She pulled the top back down and took Kate's chin in her hand, unwrapping the bandage around her head and looking closely at the wound. 'Stitches are healing nicely,' she said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small aloe vera leaf. Snapping it in half, she rubbed the sap into the wound, and wrapped it up with a fresh bandage.

'That was a heavy hit you took to the head,' Anne said, looking at Kate sternly now that she had stopped her ministrations. Kate didn't reply, looking down at her hands.  
'Are you in some kind of trouble?' the woman almost whispered, and for the first time Kate heard genuine concern in her voice.  
'No,' Kate replied, shaking her head, meeting the woman's small brown eyes. 'No trouble.'

The door to the small cabin opened and Sawyer appeared, his large frame filling the doorway. He held two plates of food in his hand and Kate eyed them, her stomach growling quietly.

'I'll leave you two alone,' Anne said, shooting Kate a conspiratorial smile. 'Try to rest for the day and night,' she said, walking over to the doorway. Sawyer stepped through and held the door.  
'I look forward to seeing you both at dinner tomorrow night,' she said, before promptly leaving the room.

'What did she say?' Sawyer asked, walking over to the bed and holding a plate out for Kate. She almost snatched it out of his hands and Sawyer laughed softly.She put the plate on her lap. Two slices of thickly cut bread, some cheeses, some blackberries, an apple, and what looked like pound cake. She made herself a sandwich with the bread and cheese and took a bite.

She looked up at Sawyer and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the look in his eyes as he watched her eat. Self consciously, she brought her hand to her mouth, and started to take more lady-like bites, smiling shyly back at him.

'She gave me the all clear,' Kate said, answering his earlier question. 'Just got to take it easy for a few days.'  
Sawyer nodded relieved, and they ate their dinner together in companionable silence. It felt like the most delicious meal Kate had ever tasted and when she finished she felt stronger, her mind clearer. She put the empty plate on the table beside her and moved up the bed to sit up fully. She winced against the aches in her body, but tried to hide it.

'So what's the plan?' Kate asked when Sawyer had finished eating.  
'Plan?'  
'We've got to go back.'  
Sawyer looked at her incredulously.  
'Go back?! Are you crazy? Freckles we just made it out of their with our lives. Ain't no way we're going back there.'  
Kate felt a ripple of indignation wash through her.  
'Sayid and Locke need us,' she said irritably.  
'Sayid and Locke,' Sawyer said, pronouncing each word sarcastically. 'Are the ones that got us into this mess.'  
'That's bullshit and you know it Sawyer,' she shot back.  
'We ain't going back Kate,' he said, the look in his eyes verging on dangerous.  
They both glared at each other, the silence in the air thick with tension. Kate refused to back down, furious at him. Any other time, she would have just left, gone back on her own, with or without him, but she was stuck here for now.

'Let's talk about this in the morning,' Sawyer finally said, his voice edged with exhaustion. Kate felt a twinge of guilt. He probably hadn't slept in days.  
'Ok,' she conceded quietly, still irritated. The room suddenly felt too small, too hot, and Kate felt a strong urge to get some fresh air. She started to move her legs off the mattress to the floor.  
'Hold on there, Freckles. Where do you think you're going?'  
Kate sighed and looked at him warily, not wanting another fight.  
'I just want to go outside for a few minutes. See what's out there.'  
Sawyer looked at her hard for a few moments, and then his face softened. He got off the chair and sat next to her on the bed, holding his arm out. Kate took it wordlessly, and used it to pull herself up, so she was sitting on the bed with her feet on the wooden floor. Sawyer put an arm around her waist, and Kate let him gently bring her up to her feet, giving her a few moments to get used to standing up on solid ground.

After a few seconds, she steadied and they slowly walked across the room, Sawyer quietly holding her up. They reached the door and he pulled it open.

Kate looked around, her eyes wide. She'd never seen anything like it.

They were stood on a roughly made porch, in a small cabin, separated by a fair distance to a large camp. There were more tiny wooden cabins, haphazardly strewn around a huge clearing in the forest. Paths made from years of footfall criss-crossed through the space. A water wheel turned to the side of her, and she could see a small garden being tended in the distance. She saw people, about fifty or sixty of them, dotted around. Grouped together laughing, working on their cabins, fixing fences. The whole area was surrounded by what looked like a curtain of leaves, camouflaging the small settlement from the outside.

'What is this place?' Kate asked breathlessly as they stepped out on to the porch. She put her hands out to the wooden railing to steady herself.  
Sawyer didn't reply, leaning forward on the same rail as he looked out. Although everyone seemed happy and content, Kate thought the atmosphere was oppressive, choking, like everyone was keeping a secret and they were all desperate to voice it.  
'I don't like it here,' Kate said simply.  
Sawyer laughed softly. 'I don't like it either, Freckles.'  
She scanned the area, making mental notes of all she saw, the layout, the shadows, the escape routes.

Sawyer turned to her, looking at her reassuringly.  
'We'll find out more at dinner tomorrow night,'  
Kate smiled at him, feeling a rush of gratefulness that he was here with her. She trusted him, she realised. Something she never allowed herself to do with anyone. He was smart, and capable, and strong, and suddenly she felt confident. As if there was nothing to fear when they were together.

Together they walked back into the cabin, shutting the door behind them.  
'Thanks Sawyer,' Kate said when they were inside.  
He smiled at her, not answering, and she let the moment stretch out, feeling warm under his gaze. They looked at each other just long enough that the atmosphere shifted, turning into anticipation, nervousness.

Sawyer ran a hand through his hair and looked around the room, breaking contact.  
'I guess I'll let you got some rest.'  
'You're not sleeping with me?' Kate asked suddenly. She blushed, feeling foolish, and looked down at the floor. 'I meant… in here,' she added quietly.  
Sawyer looked at her, his eyes dancing with amusement and a sly grin on his face. Slowly, it faded.  
'Sure I am,' he said softly.  
He moved towards her and helped her over to the bed, making sure she was steady before he went over to the chair. He waited until she settled back and he blew out the candle on the bedside table.

Kate barely slept a wink that night, and she knew Sawyer didn't either, his breathing never deepened. The air between them was thick with kinetic energy. So much left unsaid between them, neither of them knowing where to start, the forest encircling them, and the night birds outside mocking them with their chatter.


	13. October 22

**A/N: Thank you ChosenNo!!**

**October 22 2032**

Sawyer closed the door of the cabin gently behind him and stepped out on to the rickety porch. It was early, and the first rays of sunshine were cutting crystal shards of light through the trees. A thick fog cloaked the ground, white wisps clinging to the surface of the forest. It was quiet, no sound but for the rustling of leaves on the gentle breeze, and the soft warbling of the first intrepid birds of the morning.

He took the steps down from the porch and walked towards the main settlement, taking a seat on one of the benches that circled the central campfire. He stared at the still burning pyre. He was bone tired. He hadn't slept at all the previous night. Kate hadn't either, he knew. He'd been acutely aware of her every movement, of her soft breathing, the rustle of her hair on the pillow, the creaking of the bed as she turned on her side.

Sawyer felt the presence of someone behind him and he turned to see a slight, thin man, glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, approaching. He held a heavy axe in his hand and Sawyer stiffened when he saw it, his instinct for defence kicking in.

The man took a few more steps towards him and Sawyer rose slowly from the bench to face him.

'I'm Kyle,' he said.  
Sawyer looked at the man through narrowed eyes, waiting for him to continue.  
'We met, briefly, when you came in.'  
Sawyer nodded, vaguely remembering. It had all been a blur, meeting Desmond, the half-day walk to the settlement, the burning worry for Kate that clouded every thought and motivated every movement.  
'If you're going to be staying awhile, I thought you might like to make yourself useful,' he continued amiably.  
'Is that right?' Sawyer drawled.  
Kyle lifted up the axe, a question in his eyes. 'Big pile of wood needs chopping over in the glade,' he said, nodding to the furthest corner of the clearing. 'Honestly? We could use the help.'

Sawyer wasn't the type to do anything for anyone, but the idea of working out the tension in his bones appealed to him. Still, it didn't mean he had to be gracious about it. Without a word he took a few steps towards the man, his face like steel. Kyle's face fell, his eyes widening. Sawyer reached down and grabbed the axe out of his hand, before he walked passed him and headed through the main settlement. He took no notice of the curious looks from the people of the forest as he walked past their cabins, their gardens and their storehouses.

Sawyer was glad to see the flattened glade was obscured from the rest of the camp by a curtain of trees and vines. A tree stump, crisscrossed with deep ridges from years of use, was in the middle of the area, and a large pile of logs rested against a tall oak tree.

He unbuttoned his shirt and threw it to the side. He grabbed a log and placed it on the stump, lifting the axe high over his head, and bringing it down hard on the log. The wood split in two, the satisfying crack echoing loud through the forest. He grabbed another, then another. Although he was exhausted, it felt good to be working, to go through the motions, to release the pent-up tension that had been building since he'd laid his head down to rest the previous night.

He placed another log on the tree stump, and brought the axe down again, harder this time, feeling a sharp shoot of pain run up his arms. It was a welcome distraction.

She was awake and she was alive, but Sawyer couldn't shake the fears he'd gone through when he thought Kate might die. And what the fear had done to him. He'd been forced into confronting his feelings for her head on, and what he had discovered had shaken him to the core.

For three days he hadn't left her side, willing her to wake up, blaming himself, hating himself, thinking he had destroyed the only good thing in his life and when she had woken, all he had wanted to do was wrap her into his arms, so grateful to her for coming back to him. He'd wanted to confess every fear, whisper every naked truth and desire. But he couldn't find the words, none that suited him anyway.

They hadn't talked about what he had done for her, or what she'd done for him by breaking into the tower. They didn't ask each other what any of it meant. Because they both knew the answer. And it was absurd. How could he talk of want, and of need, when all he'd ever felt was scorn for those who did. He'd been closed off for so many years and the words stuck in his throat, but he could feel all those unspoken sentences hanging heavy in the air between them, building the longer they were left unsaid.

Sawyer stayed in the small glade for hours, until the sun had passed it's highest peak in the sky, and was slowly beginning it's descent westwards, and still he chopped, his fierce determination never wavering as the pile of uncut logs dwindled further and further and the heap of fuel wood grew. When he finally completed the job he sat on the stump, wiping the sweat from his forehead, his arms trembling slightly with exertion. He knew he should get back soon, Kate was probably wondering where he was and he wanted to make sure she was ok. He took one more look around the secluded glade, before he got up and headed back towards the settlement.

He'd made it half way across the camp when he saw her. She was standing on the porch leaning on the rail. She had showered he noticed, her hair was still damp and she'd piled it on the top of her head, a few rebel strands escaping and tumbling across her shoulders. She'd changed, now wearing a leaf green vest that perfectly matched the backdrop of the forest, and the fading sun bathed her in its golden light. She was smiling, and he felt a sharp stab of jealousy when he realised the smile was for Desmond, who was stood at the stairs to the porch with his back to him.

He tossed the axe aside and continued his approach. With every step he took, his introspective demeanour disappeared, replaced with the confident swagger he always used in the company of others.  
'Afternoon,' Sawyer drawled once he arrived at the cabin, shooting Kate a languid smile. He turned to Desmond, his smile disappearing.  
'Something I can help you with, Hoss?' he asked.  
Desmond shook his head.  
'You planning on standing there all day?' Sawyer said, not bothering to hide the hostility in his voice.  
'Ah… no,' Desmond said, nodding at Kate and shooting her a small smile of amusement. 'I'll see you both tonight,' he added, before walking past Sawyer towards the camp beyond.

Sawyer glared at his retreating form before turning back to Kate. She was looking at him, an amused and knowing smile on her face.  
'What?' Sawyer snapped, defensive at being caught out.  
Kate rolled her eyes at him.  
'Nothing,' she said as she turned and walked slowly back into the small cabin, her arms wrapped protectively around her ribs.

His eyes followed her for a moment, before he went after her up the stairs and into the hut, shutting the door behind him. She turned to face him and they looked at each other, the heaviness immediately descending from the previous night. When Kate broke eye contact, he almost felt relieved.

'That was rude,' she said, and Sawyer was sure her voice didn't come out as sternly as she intended. He chuckled and took a few steps towards her, charmed by her attempt to reprimand him.

'How'd you sleep last night?' Sawyer asked, ignoring her comment, his green eyes dancing with amusement.  
'Like a baby,' Kate said, her eyes cool. The lie only deepened his grin further.

She turned away from him, but Sawyer saw the smile she was trying to hide before she did and saw her eyes avoiding his naked chest. When she turned back, her face was a shield again, and he laughed, wondering why she thought she could hide anything from him. He took another step and brought his hand up to her forehead, and drew a faint line following the deep cut there.

'You took the bandage off,' he said, watching her closely as she shut her eyes at his touch, and forced them back open. He moved his hand down and hovered it over her bruised ribs, not quite touching them.  
'Does it still hurt?' he asked, lowering his head towards her, his voice softer now.  
She opened her mouth to speak, but instead shook her head no, the words catching in her throat. They stood together like that, inches apart, holding back, pushing forward, the slim space between them volatile with potential.

Sawyer bought his hand to her chin, gently raising her head towards him, his mind empty of any other thought than of her presence and their solitude. Her breathing had quickened. They stood so close that Sawyer could feel the quiet vibration of her trembling body and the hurried beating of her heart.

He brought his lips down, hovering them just above hers. She exhaled shakily, and he moved forward, capturing her soft lips with his, the exquisite sensation of warm conviction playing out in their kiss. With that kiss he told her everything he couldn't say, how scared he'd been, how much he needed her, how grateful he was that she had come back to him and her kisses told him she already knew, that she knew exactly. He put his arm around her back, pulling her in and pressing her against the length of his body, not wanting another millimetre of space to come between them.

Suddenly a loud knock came from the door behind them and Kate broke away and jumped back startled. Sawyer scowled and Kate looked at him regretfully, her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen. With the greatest effort he tore his eyes away from her, muttering inaudible insults at whoever was behind the door. He pulled it open violently.

A young boy, no older than sixteen, standing at least a foot shorter than Sawyer, was at the door, trembling in intimidation at the look on Sawyer's face.  
'What?' Sawyer barked.  
'I.. uh.. I'm supposed to tell you to come for dinner,' he stammered out, his eyes darting left and right, his body poised as if desperate to run off the porch.  
Sawyer sighed heavily and turned to Kate who just shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips.  
'Fine. We'll be out in a minute, Shortround,' he said, slamming the door in the boy's startled face.

'Sawyer!' Kate exclaimed, looking at him shocked.  
'What?' Sawyer asked, the picture of innocence.  
'He's just a kid,' she said.  
'Kid's got bad timing,' he muttered. She shook her head at him in disbelief.  
'We should go,' she said.  
Sawyer took a few steps towards her.'I've got a better idea,' he said, his eyes flashing mischievously as he moved even closer.  
Kate rolled her eyes and smiled as she pushed past him and made her way to the door.

Sawyer sighed heavily, admitting defeat. He grabbed a clean shirt from the back of the chair and pulled it on, turning to follow her.  
'Fine,' he said. 'But we're coming right back here to finish what we started after this little meet and greet, Freckles.'  
A small blush coloured her cheeks, and it brought a smile back to his face, tempering his frustration. He followed her, feeling lighter than when he'd come in, out through the door and across to the dining area of the camp.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The camp was buzzing with barely-concealed excitement as Kate stepped out onto the porch and down the stairs. The sun was setting and small lanterns hung from the trees above two long tables, casting a flickering orange and yellow light across them. The tables were laid out with food, though it was a fairly modest feast for the amount of people gathered.

'Welcome, welcome,' a voice boomed. Kate looked up to see a man, a huge smile on his face.  
He looked at Kate, and then looked at Sawyer expectantly, as if he was waiting to be introduced.  
'I'm Kate,' she said, covering Sawyer's rudeness.  
'Kyle,' he said, smiling warmly at her. 'And may I say on behalf of everyone here, how pleased I am to see you looking so well.'  
He reached out his hand to her and Kate took it.  
'Thank you, Kyle,' she said, ignoring Sawyer as he tensed beside her.  
'Please,' Kyle said, seemingly pleased that Kate, at least, was a better guest than Sawyer. 'Take a seat.'

Kate sat down on the bench and Sawyer sat next to her, easing his long legs under the small table. Within seconds their plates were filled, people buzzing around them and fussing over them. When Sawyer and Kate had been cared for, everyone helped themselves to the spread and settled down. There must have been about thirty people around each table.

Desmond sat on the table adjacent to theirs with his back to them, but he occasionally turned around to glance in their direction. The young boy who had come to their door sat at the end of the table Kate was at, sitting next to a young girl who looked similar to Kate, chesnut brown curly hair falling down and framing her delicate features. Kyle seated himself opposite them, in the centre of the table. She assumed he was the leader of the small group when a plate was placed in front of him by a short red-headed woman, who then moved over to the furthest end with the boy.

'Please,' Kyle said, gesturing towards the food. 'Go ahead.'  
The loud murmuring and chattering of the group quietened slightly as they begun to tuck into their meals. Kate followed suit, glancing at Sawyer next to her who did the same.

'So where have you both come from,' Kyle asked casually.  
Kate bit her lip, uncertain how to respond, but she settled on the truth.  
'London,' she replied.  
'You're a long way from home,' Kyle said, more of a question than a statement.  
'Yeah, we're kind of, taking a holiday.'  
Sawyer snorted with amusement next to her at her lie. She stared straight ahead, the smile plastered on her face, refusing to look at him. Kyle gracefully ignored Sawyer and turned to Kate.  
'Well you're both welcome to stay here as long as you need… as long as you don't bring us any trouble,' he said, his voice becoming more serious.

A silence descended and Kate felt all eyes on her, observing her curiously. She shifted, feeling uncomfortable under their gaze. She felt Sawyer's hand under the table rest on hers, squeezing it slightly before he moved it away. Feeling more confident she spoke again.  
'Of course. There's no need to worry. We'll be out of here first thing in the morning.'  
She felt Sawyer stiffen and remembered their argument from the previous day. She understood why he didn't want to go back to the city, but she had to. They had only just begun their campaign against Central and she was desperate to know what had happened in her absence. She was worried about Locke and Sayid, and the list with their names on it, now that Sawyer was out of danger.

'That soon?' Kyle asked. He looked as if the news concerned him, and Kate leaned forward subconsciously, curious at his reaction. In a flash, his face returned to a calm, pleasing smile and he nodded courteously. 'Well, of course, if you change your mind…' he trailed off and the group fell silent again. Desmond had turned in his chair again, as if he'd been listening to the conversation intently.

She felt Sawyer's hand graze hers, accidentally this time, and it sent a shiver through her arm, transporting her back to those short moments in the cabin earlier. She risked a glance at him and he met it. She looked away, trying to puncture the effect he was having on her.

The group remained silence and the quiet stretched out just long enough to become uncomfortable, the sounds of chewing and cutlery amplified in comparison. The young girl who Kate had seen earlier spoke, breaking the tension that had fallen over the group in the oblivious way only one as young as her could.  
'What's it like?' she said, looking at Kate in near awe. 'The city,' she went on when Kate looked at her blankly. 'What's it like there? Is it as bad as they say?'  
Kate laughed quietly. 'I don't know,' she replied. 'How bad is it anywhere?'  
The girl looked at her, confusion falling over her face. 'We're safe here,' she replied confidently. 'Maybe you should stay.'

Kate shuddered inwardly, realising what it was about the place that made her so uncomfortable. The people of Central did the same thing as they were doing. Closing themselves off from the world beyond, refusing to at least try and make it better. It wasn't freedom, it was a prison, life in hiding.

'That's enough, Alex,' Kyle said firmly, shooting the younger girl a sharp look. The girl looked down sullenly, returning her attention to her food, occasionally glancing up at Kate.

Suddenly Kate was more convinced than ever that they should leave first thing in the morning, and she hoped Sawyer wouldn't need to much persuading.

The conversation stabilised and they ate the last of their dinner, Kate not really listening to the conversations around her, instead her mind continually drifting to thoughts of the man sat beside her.

After what seemed like an eternity, the group finally began leaving the table, saying their goodbyes to each other and retiring for the evening. Soon, Kate and Sawyer were left alone with Kyle. He stood up to leave, but turned to look at Kate one last time.  
'Think about what I said. See how you feel in the morning before you make any decisions about leaving.' He didn't wait for an answer, instead turning and heading towards one of the larger cabins in the camp.

Finally they were alone and Kate breathed out, feeling herself relax slightly. She didn't realise how tense she'd been. She turned to Sawyer and he stood up, holding out a hand to help her up. The action threw her back to the last time he'd done it. In the slums, when she'd tackled him to the ground. She'd been so hesitant about him helping her up then, and now she took it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The thought frightened her, reminded her of just how much her life had changed in one short month. She let go of his hand and they walked silently back to the cabin, that familiar tension returning and settling between them.

She climbed the stairs and opened the door to the cabin and walked in to the centre of the room. She heard him follow her and shut the door. The room fell quiet.

Slowly Kate turned around and they faced each other from across the room. He took a step towards her and she felt the first beats of tantalising panic in her heart.

Kate dared herself to look up and meet his eyes. There was no mistaking the look there. As he moved closer, her body tensed, as if she was under attack and surrounded, a loud voice inside her telling her to surrender, and relish every second of it.

And then something snapped in the air, like a firecracker, and they moved towards each other, closing the last distance of space in between them, their lips meeting with a crushing force. He walked her backwards until she felt her legs hit the back of the bed and she buckled on to it, bringing him down with her. He pulled back slightly so his body wouldn't hurt her in the fall, and hovered over her, resting his arms on the bed either side of her.

Kate looked up into his eyes, inches away from hers. His soft hair fell into her face, and she lifted her hand up and moved it away, bringing him to her until their lips met again. It was softer this time, the initial tension melting into the languid indulgence of discovery.

She felt his hands travel down from her neck. It rested a moment on her collarbone, drawing a line there with his thumb, before he brought it down, grazing the side of her breast, following the curve of her waist and settling at the bottom of her vest. He broke away from her, his eyes asking her a question, giving her an out. She laughed slightly, and he grinned back, dimples deepening, as he lifted the top over her head and threw it to the floor.

Suddenly the smile disappeared from his face. Kate lifted her head and saw the purple bruise on her ribs, every ridge of the boot that had stamped her imprinted starkly on her pale skin. He gazed down at her, transfixed. Her eyes sought out his and they met, his gaze pained and tortured. She reached up and took his face in her hands, silently telling him she couldn't be broken. At least not by them.

She moved her hands down and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, not breaking eye contact as she pushed it off his shoulders. She ran a hand down his chest, and pulled him back down to her, relishing the feel of his warm skin against hers.

Their lips met again and Kate realised, in a sudden moment of clarity, that she would never need to tell him anything. This is how they communicated, how they could let each other know everything their battered souls wouldn't allow them too. This is what they had been travelling towards at full speed from the moment they entered each other's lives.

It was how it was supposed to be between them. The truth spoken between his lips and her bare skin, in the grasp of her hands in his hair, in their intakes of breaths, in their moans and their whispers, they melded together like two broken pieces, repaired.

They bared themselves to each other, the hours lost on the wave of their union, and when they finally fell asleep, the first rays of a new dawn streamed through the window, casting a silver light on their entangled, trembling bodies. They both slept that morning as if for the first time, basking in the first true moment of peace that had mercifully been granted to them in their uncertain and tumultuous lives.


	14. October 23

**October 23 2032**

Sawyer woke from a deep, dreamless sleep to the light weight of Kate, resting her head on his chest, her long hair tickling his arms and stomach. He shifted slightly so he could get a better look at her in the dawn sunlight. She was bare from the waist up, the sheets tangled up in her legs, her face open and innocent. So different from the mask she wore when she was awake.

He moved his hand to her back, marvelling at how small it was, and how he could span the width of it with just one hand. She moved slightly and he pulled away, not wanting to wake her, but it was too late. She moved over on to her back and put her hands up to her face, rubbing her eyes.

When she moved them away she looked at him, visibly trying to bring him into focus, and then a shy smile passed over her face.

'Morning,' Sawyer drawled, his dimples flashing.  
'Hey,' she said softly, bringing the sheet up to cover herself up.  
Sawyer laughed inwardly, amused by her bashfulness, and reached down to kiss her before any awkwardness could take hold. She responded, and he could feel her body melting into him, her initial hesitance dissolving.

She pulled away smiling, before settling back down on his chest contentedly. He moved his hand up to her head, losing his fingers in her hair. He watched as she moved her slender arm and took his wrist in her hands, looking at the ragged cuts and bruises that his chains had caused.

'Were you scared?' she asked, running her fingers softly over the wounds.  
Sawyer had never been so scared. The suffocating oppression of the cell, the choking darkness, the agony in his arms, the fear that he would be left to die there, the fear that she would come for him, and that Ben would take her, and he'd be helpless to stop it.

He didn't reply.

'I'd have been terrified,' she said.  
'You could handle it, Freckles,' he said quietly, shaking away the thoughts.  
She moved her hand away from his arm and traced a line down to his stomach.  
'What happened here?' she asked, rubbing her thumb absently against a thin, dark red scar on his side.  
'Got that when I first arrived in this hell-hole,' he replied, curling her hair round his fingers and watching as it sprang back into place when he let it go. 'You should see the other guy,' he joked humourlessly.  
'And here?' she asked, moving her hand up to a circular scar on his shoulder.  
'Caught a bullet… trying to do the right thing for a change.'

Kate looked at him puzzled, but he made her confusion vanish with a smile.  
'And what about you?' he said, flipping her gently over on to her back. 'Let's see your scars.'  
'I don't have any,' she laughed.  
'Course you don't,' Sawyer said, moving his lips to her neck and trailing a path of kisses up to her ear. 'Too good for that, ain't you Freckles?'  
She arched into him impulsively before pushing herself back to the bed and using her arms to keep him at bay.  
'Sawyer?' Kate whispered.  
He pulled back to look at her, waiting for her to speak.  
'What time are we leaving?'  
Sawyer sighed heavily and dropped back on the bed, laying beside her.

She was stubborn, he knew they'd be no stopping her once the decision was made. This was the same woman who broke into the Tower single-handedly.  
'You sure you want to do this?' he asked after a long time.  
'I have to go back Sawyer. If you don't want to…'  
'What? You think I'm gonna let you go back there alone?'

She didn't reply, propping herself up on her elbow and looking at him, her eyes earnest.  
'Freckles, Ben has been looking for you for years,' he said. 'He knows we're alive. He's probably tearing the slums apart right now looking for us.'  
'That's even more reason to go back,' she said, her voice laced with anxiety. 'If anything happens to those people because of this, it's on me.'  
'Who gives a damn about those people? What have they got to do with you?'  
'Why are you so scared of Ben?' she snapped.  
'I ain't scared of him,' he shot back, confused at the sudden switch in conversation.  
'He has something over you, I know it,' she said, looking at him suspiciously.  
'He aint got nothing Freckles. He saved my ass once. I've repaid him a thousand times over.'  
He stared darkly at the ceiling, wishing he'd never brought up the man's name. If he ever saw him again, he'd kill him for what he had done. He wouldn't hesitate.  
'I'd say he owes me one,' he said, his voice low.

They both fell silent. He looked down at her small frame, silently awed by the feel of her in his arms, how perfectly she fit against his body, and felt a twinge of guilt for arguing with her.  
'I'm no good, you know that, don't you Freckles?' he said, almost tentatively.  
She didn't reply and he bit his lip, wondering if he should continue. He felt like he owed it to her.  
'Remember that first night in the bar? Ten minutes before I met you I killed a man. And he wasn't the first. Not by a long shot.'  
'What did he do?' she asked, her voice no louder than a whisper.  
'He didn't do nothing,' Sawyer sighed. 'Just lived on the wrong side of the damn wall.'

'We have to go back Sawyer,' she said, her voice full of quiet conviction.  
He turned to her as she lifted her head to look at him and their eyes met, the current of understanding between them stronger than ever. Sawyer nodded, and she smiled at him, reaching up for a kiss.

Suddenly, a roaring cacophony of sound broke the quiet peace of the forest outside. Sawyer and Kate looked at each other, wide-eyed. Sawyer pulled himself up and grabbed his jeans and pulled them on. He grabbed Kate's clothes from where they had been thrown on the chair and the top of a lamp, and passed them to her, before going to the door, his bare feet padding softly against the oak floor.

He turned around, waiting for Kate to get dressed, before he opened the door a fraction. He squinted and saw two battered pick up trucks, surrounded by six huge men, heavy artillery on their backs. They were far across on the other side of the clearing and Sawyer watched as Kyle approached, his steps timid and his head bowed respectfully. In a flash, the leader of the group marched towards him, grabbed him by the collar and threw him violently against the side of the truck.

Sawyer quickly shut the door and turned to Kate.  
'We've got trouble, Freckles.'  
She ran over to the door and Sawyer moved slightly so she could see for herself. She shut the door and looked up at him, and he could see the thousand possibilities for action ticking over in her mind.

'Where are the guns?' she asked, the question not half finished when Sawyer reached under the bed and pulled out her backpack where he'd stashed them. He ripped open the bag and pulled the silencer gun out, tossing it to Kate before he pulled out his own pistol.

'How do you want to do this?' he asked, gesturing his gun towards the door.  
'We could try to slip out the back,' she said.  
'No good Freckles, they'll see us.'  
'We don't know who they are or what they want.'  
'You wanna risk it?'

Suddenly a loud, frantic banging came at the door.  
'Looks like we don't have a choice,' Kate said, eyes wide. They both raised their guns, aiming them at the door, when it burst open with a crash.

Desmond flew into the room, slamming the door desperately behind him.  
'They're here…' he said, his voice trembling. 'I told you not to come here, brother,' he said, turning to Sawyer, his eyes brimming with panic.

In a flash Sawyer lowered his gun and marched over to Desmond, grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall.  
'Who are they? What do they want?' he snarled, pinning him in place by the neck.  
'They own this,' Desmond said, rasping for breath, his hands flailing round the room. 'They own everyone in this forest.'  
Sawyer let Desmond go and turned to Kate.  
'What do you mean, own them?' Kate asked, stepping forward beside Sawyer, her voice even.  
'We don't have time for this,' Desmond said, looking at them as if they were both mad, his voice rising. 'You have to get out of here.'  
Sawyer turned to Kate and she looked back, both of them coming to the same decision immediately.

'The window,' Kate said.  
Sawyer moved towards it.  
'Doesn't open,' he said, quickly surveying the pane that was built into the cabin. 'We'd have to break it.'  
'I'll go outside,' Desmond said. 'Distract them.'

His last words were lost, as once again the door flew open, this time kicked through with a deafening crack, as it was ripped off the top hinge.

Sawyer jumped back towards Kate, moving in front of her and raising his gun.

Suddenly a man appeared at the window, his own gun drawn and pointed straight at Kate, a look of calm lethality on his cragged, scarred face. Sawyer's heart skipped a beat as another man walked slowly through the door, his huge, imposing figure filling the frame. He walked in, observing Kate and Sawyer's raised guns coolly.

His eyes were cold, and soulless, his harsh features a mess of scars and tattoos. In his belt was a huge, hand-crafted machete, the edge of the blade stained with blood.

'Who are you?' he said, his voice a booming staccato.  
'Who the hell are you?' Sawyer spat back sarcastically, refusing to show any weakness, despite their situation. He looked at Kate out of the corner of his eye. Her aim was steady, and her face was set firm and dangerous, but he could see she still hadn't recovered fully and it filled him with dread.  
'If you do not tell me who you are, my friend will shoot your friend in the head.' the man said calmly, eyes darting to the man who still stood by the window, waiting for the signal.  
A rush of hot violence washed through Sawyer and he stepped forward.  
'You're friend touches her,' he said viciously. 'You'll all wish you'd never been born.'

Suddenly the scarred man whipped around to face Desmond.  
'You,' he boomed. 'Get out.'  
Desmond looked from the man to Sawyer and back again, rooted to the spot.  
'Now.'

Desmond looked to Sawyer one last time and Sawyer nodded, silently telling him to go, wishing he could take Kate with him. When Desmond had gone, the man turned back to Sawyer again, and Sawyer could feel the violence that bubbled beneath the surface of the man's calm exterior, and it made his heart race in his stomach for Kate.

Kate spoke, her voice conciliatory.  
'Look,' she said to the man, in an attempt to calm the situation. 'We were just about to leave.'  
'You are not going anywhere,' he said, his words clipped. 'You do not belong here…'

He turned to the man at the window and gave him a signal, and Sawyer moved in front of Kate, but the man just lowered his gun and moved away disappearing from view.

The large man in the room stayed and eyed them both. '… and I am going to find out exactly who you are.'

He spun around and left the room leaving Kate and Sawyer alone. They heard him shout to one of his men to guard their door, while his loud, crunching footsteps faded away.

Sawyer and Kate turned to each other, both of them realising with horror that they were trapped, again, with no way out.


	15. October 24

**A/N: Thanks BrilliantInsanity!**

**October 24 2032**

Sayid rushed through the streets, taking no notice of the rain that drenched him, soaked through his clothes and fell into his eyes. The ceaseless rain that fell without end in London. A futile attempt by the gods to wash the city of it's sins, to clean the bloodstained roads and pavements, to drown out the sound of gunfire and explosions.

The last week had been one of the bloodiest the city had seen. Although they had managed to kill at least one hundred Central troops, the number of dead in the slums was nearly one thousand. Sayid had never been far from the fray, at the frontlines of the skirmishes.

Ben Linus had retaliated for the raids on the weapons and generators with furious rage. He had sent his troops out to raze their small farms and allotments to the ground. They had been ordered to murder without prejudice. Families were burying their loved ones, fathers, daughters, grandfathers.

The word was out about Kate. There wasn't a person alive in the city who didn't know now exactly who she was. And what she had been doing for all these years. They also knew about Sawyer. Ben Linus had declared him a traitor and had put out a bounty for his life. If Kate was to be found, she was to be taken in alive.

For a few short days, the excitement in the slums had reached fever pitch. The people had talked excitedly of the Black Rat and the Blade Commander. There were rumours of romance and secret trysts and espionage against Central from the new crusaders of the slums. But these small hopes began to die, the brief flame of confidence extinguished, when after a week, Sawyer and Kate still hadn't returned.

New, unfounded rumours swept through the city like wildfire. Some said they'd been murdered by bandits in the outer lands, some, that they had already been captured by Central. Others said they had gone for good, leaving the people of the slums to face their fate alone.

Sayid knew that wasn't true. If Kate was alive, she would be doing everything in her power to return. He knew it.

The night she disappeared, Locke had come to him and told him of Kate's plans to break into the Tower. He had rushed his plans forward in the hope of creating a distraction, and had destroyed Central's power generators. There had been no word since then, but he knew if Linus had his hands on them, he would have wasted no time in giving them a public execution.

He knew she would be back. He just had to hold on, keep fighting. He arrived at the safe house and looked up and down the streets before knocking on the door: two small raps, a pause, then three more in rapid succession.

The door pulled open after a few seconds and John's pale face appeared in the gloom, his clear blue eyes scanning the area behind Sayid. He beckoned for Sayid to come in and closed the door behind him, the noise of the rain outside suddenly silenced.

'Were you followed?' his voice echoed in the empty room of the hideout, a ramshackle building on the edge of the slums.  
'No…' Sayid replied, then he shook his head. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts and Central agents were so good, he couldn't be sure. 'Maybe,' he said quietly. 'Who knows anymore.'  
'Come with me,' Locke said, and Sayid followed him as he walked down a creaky staircase into the darkness below.

Locke pushed open another door which led to a small underground room. A lantern in the corner shed a warm, golden light onto the dusty stone floor. A grimy square rug was laid on the floor below a small table and two chairs. Locke took one and gestured for Sayid to sit down.

'I'm glad you're still alive,' John said simply.  
'I shouldn't be. Not when Hugo lies under the ground.' Sayid replied quietly.  
'No,' John said quietly. 'I'm sorry.'  
'Save your apologies, John.' Sayid replied sharply. He blamed himself. Of course Hugo's death was his fault. He'd been targeted for his friendship with Sayid. That much was clear. His old friend Reyes, who even as a Blade had hated violence, should never have met such a brutal end.

'Why do you think they haven't come for us?' Sayid said, looking up to meet John's cool gaze. 'We were on that list, and yet they still haven't come.'  
'I'd say they have bigger things to worry about now. How's the fighting going?'  
'Terrible,' Sayid muttered, trying to quell the hot anger bubbling in his stomach. 'There are so many dead, and we are unable to even give them the dignity of a proper funeral. The Blades have joined our effort, for which I am grateful. We have barricaded the gates of the city and blocked out any possible help Linus could get from the outside. Kate and Sawyer did an excellent job on the weapons stores. Central is effectively under siege.'

Sayid leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. 'But of course Kate did not destroy the food stores, so they have enough to last months, if they needed to. They are still heavily armed,' he continued. 'They're tactics are more sophisticated. Our men are losing morale. They have no leader to look up to. Ben has destroyed our crops, and our stores our depleting. The people are scared, and they are tired and hungry…. We have run out of explosives and are not expecting another delivery for two weeks. Two weeks! Our people weaken with every day that passes. They're troops have not appeared in the slums for two days and we have reached a stalemate. I am sure they are planning something. They will wait until we are weak, and then they will slaughter us. It's only a matter of time. And without Kate…'  
'Kate will be back,' Locke said. The confidence in his voice rankled at Sayid. He was weary, sick and tired of the stench of cordite and death, and Locke's serenity did nothing to sooth his nerves.

'How can you be so sure, John?' he snapped. 'For all we know she has gone for good.'  
'You don't really believe that, do you Sayid,' John said, a knowing smile creeping on to his face.  
'I don't know what to believe anymore,' Sayid replied bitterly, rising to his feet. He walked towards the door, wanting nothing more than to leave now that he had given his report to John.

'Sayid,' John said, before he opened the door.  
Sayid stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around, as he waited for Locke to continue.  
'Tell them. Tell them she will be back, and that Sawyer will be back, and that we are going to win this war.'

The flicker of hope Sayid felt at the words was so small, he didn't even register it. It was too far buried beneath the realities of war, the knowledge that tomorrow he would wake, and once again kill and tear apart at the seams at the loss of another man, another friend. In exchange for what? He didn't know anymore. He turned the door handle and left without a word, climbing the stairs wearily to the rain-slicked streets above.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Kate and Sawyer sat side by side on the bed, both tense and furiously running over their plan. It had been over a day. They had been left alone, but a guard still stood outside the door, and from the window, they could see three more, including the boss, loitering at the other side of the clearing. Two of their group had disappeared at mid-day in one of the trucks, and still hadn't returned. Kate and Sawyer wanted to make their move before they came back.

'So are we going to do this?' Kate whispered, looking straight ahead, her leg bouncing nervously, vibrating the bed.  
'Sure Freckles,' Sawyer replied, moving a hand to her shaking knee to sooth her nerves. 'We can take 'em.'  
'And you've driven a car before?'  
'Ain't nothing to it,' he said.  
'That's not an answer, Sawyer,' she replied sharply, whipping around to face him.  
He chuckled quietly and shook his head.  
'Yes. I know how to drive,' he said patiently. 'Now come on, Freckles. If we're going to do this, we do it now.'  
He stood up and reached his hand out to Kate and pulled her on to her feet.  
'How are you feeling?' he asked, his brow furrowing as he looked her up and down, and moved a hand to the wound on her head.  
'I'm fine,' Kate replied. 'I'll be better when we're out of this place and on our way home.'

And then, for the second time in less than a day, the roar of an engine returned to the forest.  
'Shit,' Sawyer said as he went to the window and saw the two men who had left earlier had returned. 'There goes our advantage.'  
The two men hopped out of the truck, and ran towards the leader, their bodies speaking wordlessly of excitement.

'What do you think's going on?' Kate asked as she came up beside him. She watched as one of the thugs said something to the large man who they had spoken to earlier. He slowly turned around and looked straight at their cabin, and for a moment, Kate forgot to breathe.  
'I've got a bad feeling about this,' she said, as the man started walking towards their cabin, his strides heavy and purposeful.

Kate moved back from the window and turned to Sawyer, but before she could react, the door opened and the man walked in.

'Bit late for a visit ain't it, jumbo?' Sawyer snarled sarcastically at the man.  
'My name is Bellic,' the man replied simply. 'And yours is Sawyer,' he added calmly.  
Kate and Sawyer glanced at each other in shock at hearing Sawyer's name spoken by the stranger.

'You seem surprised, Kate,' the man said, now turning his steely gaze at her. 'You shouldn't be. You're reputation preceeds you.'  
'Who the hell are you?' Sawyer snapped. 'And what the hell do you want?'  
'You are in my forest, you have been sleeping in my house, and you have been eating my food. You are not allowed to ask questions.'  
'Allowed?' Sawyer said in raging disbelief. 'I ain't allowed?'  
In a flash, Bellic reached for the gun from his back and aimed it at Sawyer.  
'What…? Wait!' Kate stammered, stepping forward towards Sawyer, her heart in her throat.

'Your life?' Bellic said, ignoring her, never once taking his eyes off Sawyer. 'Is worthless to me. I can get as much for your corpse as I could if I took you in alive.'  
'Take me in where?' Sawyer sneered, not even slightly disturbed by the barrel of the rifle that was pointed at his chest.  
Bellic laughed. Humourless and cold.  
'Sawyer…' Kate said fearfully, silently pleading with him to back down.  
'Back to where you came from,' he said, his broad smile revealing his broken teeth, warping and twisting the scars on his face. And with that he left, shouting an order to his man outside.

As soon as he was gone, Kate and Sawyer turned to each other.  
'How does he know about us?'  
'Must have been the two he sent away,' Sawyer replied, walking over to the window.  
Bellic was reaching into the back of one of the pick up trucks and had taken a coil of rope from it, which he slung on to his shoulder.  
'Kate,' he said, quickly turning to her. 'Time to make a move. It's now or never. Plan's all shot to hell, but we can still take out the guard at the door and take his gun. We need to fight our way through and get to one of those cars.'  
Kate nodded, the fear on her face replaced by determination, the face that Sawyer knew so well, the one he had seen first, the only one she'd chosen to show him for so long. He reached down and kissed her, the Kate that only he knew, as if it were for the last time.

'Ready?' he said, pulling back to look at her.  
'Ready.' Kate said, nodding.  
And with that they sprang into action. Sawyer moved across the room and opened the door, and without waiting for more than a second he took the guard's head in his hands from behind, and violently twisted it, breaking his neck, a quiet, brutal kill that was over in seconds. The man slumped wordlessly to the ground and landed with a quiet, hollow thud. Sawyer took the rifle and lifted it over the man's head, and slung it over his shoulder. He grabbed the pistol from the man's belt and tossed it to Kate. She caught it with ease, and ran towards the edge of the clearing into the shadows, making her way towards the opposite side, ready to provide Sawyer with back up from the darkness.

Sawyer ran the opposite way, always checking to see Kate's shadowy figure in the gloom, his heart racing with adrenaline, as he closed in on the trucks.

'Hey!' Sawyer whipped around to see Kyle standing near the main camp, looking at him, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. Sawyer lifted his finger to his lips in a gesture of quiet, from his place in the shadow of an oak tree.  
'Hey!' Kyle said, louder this time, looking around the settlement in desperation. 'They're getting away!'

And then all hell broke loose as Bellic and his men jumped to attention, reaching for their weapons. Suddenly a hail of bullets whipped past Sawyer's body. Sticking to his path on the side of the clearing he began to run, intermittently shooting his rifle at the men. He heard the sound of staccato gunshots that he recognised as coming from a pistol, and he knew Kate was shooting, the knowledge propelling him faster towards the cars.

He stopped behind another tree and craned his head around and shot, and this time his bullet reached it's target. One of the men dropped to the ground, screaming in agony. Sawyer quickly moved back behind the tree, as another volley of gunfire came his way, chipping and pinging against the tree. But as long as they were shooting at him, and not Kate, Sawyer didn't care. By now she should have reached the front of the cars.

He looked round from his position again and fired, aiming for Bellic, but the large man moved at the last second, and the bullet reached another mark, as another one of the men went down, clutching at his leg.

'Give it up, Sawyer.' Bellic's voice boomed across the forest. 'You won't win this. It's useless to…' but his words were suddenly cut off.  
Sawyer whipped around to see what had happened. His heart stopped when he saw Kate, standing on the back of the truck, her gun against the back of Bellic's head.

'Drop your weapons,' Kate said, her voice clear and loud, and in control. But Sawyer's stomach filled with dread, because he knew she wouldn't shoot. She wasn't like him. She wouldn't kill a man in cold blood.

The three men left standing dropped their rifles.

'Sawyer?' Kate shouted, looking for him. He came out of the shadows and ran towards the group, grabbing another rifle from the ground, pointing it towards the three, making them slowly backed away.

A low, mirthless laugh filled the forest, and Sawyer whipped around to face Bellic.  
'It seems I have more friends than you,' he said, shooting a glance to the left. Kyle emerged from the shadows and walked towards them, a gun in his hand that was shakily aimed right at Kate. Sawyer lifted his other rifle and aimed it at Kyle's approaching figure.  
'Drop the gun,' Kyle said, looking at Kate, his eyes almost pleading with her to do as he said.  
Kate didn't move, instead shooting Kyle a look of disgust.

'You're not going to kill me,' Kate said, echoing Sawyer's earlier thoughts. A slow, creeping feeling crawled through his body. Kyle was more scared of Bellic than he was of them, and Sawyer had the uneasy feeling that Kate was wrong. Looking at her, he knew she knew it too.

Their eyes met across the clearing, a cord of desperation tying them together, reaching out to the other, not wanting to admit defeat, unable to break the dangerous stand-off that had fallen on the group. He told her, silently, to put the gun down, fearing that any second Kyle would crack. She silently told him: 'Not a chance.'

From far away, in the depths of the forest, a high-pitched howl of a wolf called out. It was followed by the loud, horrifying crack of a solitary gun shot, and then the whole world slowed down.

Kate dropped and Bellic turned around, upon her in a second. Sawyer ran towards them, not realising he was shouting her name, over and over. He grabbed Bellic by his shoulders and tore him violently away, throwing him aside with the force of three men.

'I'm ok.. It didn't hit, I'm ok,' she said, but he could barely hear the words as he brought his hand to her face, checked her body, the relief only catching up when he was certain she was unhurt. He knew, without looking, that all four guns were now pointed their way. He looked into Kate's eyes.  
'I'm sorry,' he whispered.  
'Don't…' she said, shaking her head. And with that the two of them turned around slowly to face their fate.

In a flash, two of the men launched at Sawyer, spinning him round as they slammed him violently against the side of the car, and bound his wrists with rope. They threw him into the back of the truck and turned to Kate and grabbed her arms, tying them together in front of her. They pushed her roughly towards the truck and she climbed in, slumping beside Sawyer defeatedly.

Bellic turned to them and smiled, walking towards them, his rifle hanging by his side.  
'I told you wouldn't win,' he said, spitting on the ground. 'You two are about to make me a very rich man.'  
And with that, he walked to the front of the truck and got in, slamming the door behind him. One of his men followed and got in the other side, while the two remaining in the clearing got into the second truck.

The engines rumbled into life and the smell of petrol filled the air. And then they were moving, deep into the forest, further and further towards an uncertain fate.

Neither Kate or Sawyer saw Desmond, as he leapt onto the back of the other truck, crawling underneath the tarp there, concealing himself from sight.


	16. October 25

**October 25 2032**

'Well. Look on the bright side…'

Kate had almost fallen asleep, despite her discomfort, but Sawyer's soft drawl brought her wearily back to reality. She brought her bound wrists to her face and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. She looked around the small, dark room they had been dumped in after an all-night drive through the forest and across the countryside. Her arms ached with apathy, her back was tense and painfully knotted, she was exhausted and she was so frustrated at being trapped - again - that she wanted to scream.

'There's a bright side?' she asked tiredly, turning to look at him.  
Sawyer's hair hung in to his blood-shot eyes, and his face was bruised, but he had been in a surprisingly upbeat mood for the last couple of hours. It irritated her.

'Least we don't have to walk.'  
'Is that supposed to be funny?' Kate snapped.  
'What?' Sawyer said. 'You're the one who was so desperate to get back to London.'  
He turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing. 'You got what you wanted.'  
'You're right, Sawyer. This?' she said sarcastically, lifting up her tied wrists and waving them at him. 'Is exactly what I wanted.'  
Sawyer sighed heavily and turned away, looking darkly out of the tiny window. Kate rolled her eyes. She was in no mood to placate him, so she turned her head the opposite way.

As she stared gloomily at the door she saw a shadow creep from underneath it and stretch out into their room.  
'Sawyer,' she whispered urgently, her annoyance with him forgotten in a flash.  
Sawyer turned around just as the sound of metal on metal scraped softly on the night air.  
'That don't sound like a key to me,' he said, watching the door intently.  
The door opened and moonlight flooded into the small, dusty room. A figure filled the doorway, and Kate's heart swelled when she realised who it was.

'Desmond!' she said, her face lighting up.  
Desmond closed the door slowly behind him and crept over to Sawyer and Kate, crouching down in front of them.  
'How did you…?'  
'There's no time,' Desmond said quickly, cutting her off. 'We have to get out of here. Now.'  
He quickly pulled at the rope tied around Kate's wrists. She rubbed at them as he did the same for Sawyer.  
'Guess we owe you one,' Sawyer said, almost resentfully as he got up to his feet.  
'No,' Desmond said, shaking his head. 'It was me who got you into this mess.'

He pulled a rifle from his back and passed it to Sawyer.  
'Stole this from the back of the car,' he said. He turned to Kate and shrugged apologetically. 'Sorry, that's all I could get.'  
'So what's the plan?' Kate asked.  
'The plan is,' Sawyer drawled. 'We kill every one of those bastards. Ain't no way we can let them live now.'  
Kate nodded, but she didn't like it. Killing had always been a last resort for her. But for Sawyer, it was a way of life. He could kill without blinking, and walk away without looking back.

'Then let's do this,' Sawyer said.  
He took Kate's hand and they ran over to the door, keeping their footsteps light. Sawyer pulled it open, and Kate strained to listen. She couldn't hear anything but the hooting of owls in the distance, the chirping of insects in the long grass, and the crackle of a fire. They stepped out into the open and Kate ran to the side of the building and looked around the corner. She pulled back.

'Three of them are asleep by the fire,' she said quickly, meeting Sawyer's eyes. 'I can't see the fourth.'  
Sawyer nodded and started walking purposefully towards the campfire.  
'Wait,' Kate hissed, moving a hand to Sawyer's chest to stop him. 'You can't kill them in their sleep,'  
'What? You want me to wake them up first?' Sawyer hissed back sarcastically.  
Kate looked back around the corner and squinted. 'The cars are just beyond the fire,' she said, turning back to Sawyer. 'We could get to them without even waking them up.'  
'You get to the car, Kate, but I'm finishing this job. We can't take the risk of them following us.'  
'Sawyer, they're in the middle of nowhere, without any transport. They'd never catch up.'  
'If we let them live today, it'll come back around on us tomorrow, Kate. It always does.'

'Whatever you two are going to decide. You better decide it quick,' Desmond said, cutting through their argument.  
Kate looked at Sawyer, her eyes pleading with him. After a moment, he nodded, scowling. Kate's heart filled with relief and she smiled at him.  
'Thanks.' She took another glance around the corner. 'Ready?' she said, turning to Sawyer, then Desmond. 'I'll go first,' she said, turning around before Sawyer could try and stop her.

Kate sprinted, her trained footsteps barely audible, her mind blank of any other thought than that of the car in front of her, and of reaching it. She arrived seconds later. She reached the side of the car and exhaled heavily, turning back around and looking for Sawyer in the gloom.

She saw a figure running towards her, and realised it was Desmond. She winced against the sound, as he crunched noisily over the forest floor. To Kate it sounded as loud as clanging metal. She saw Bellic stir slightly in his sleep and held her breath, silently pleading with the gods that he wouldn't wake up.

Desmond reached the other side and vaulted over the door and into the driving seat of one of the trucks, his hand moving instantly to the ignition, ready to fire it up as soon as they were all in. Kate turned back, her heart in her mouth as she waited for Sawyer.  
'Come on, come on,' she repeated quietly under her breath. Then she saw him, a flash of golden hair, a feral, black silhouette against the orange flames of the fire. He walked slowly, his rifle aimed at the three sleeping figures, his eyes never once leaving them, his body primed for action. He moved like a wolf, Kate thought. Primal, dangerous, always hunting. He reached her and she smiled at him.

Suddenly, the loud crack of a gunshot filled the air. Kate and Sawyer jumped and spun around, looking for the source of the shot. Across the clearing, near the building they had just escaped from was the fourth man of Bellic's gang. He was looking through the sight of his rifle. Ready to shoot again. In the same instant, Bellic woke and jumped to his feet, shouting at his men to get up as he reached for the rifle by his bed roll.

'Get in the car!' Sawyer shouted, his words almost lost as Desmond turned the ignition of the car and it roared into life. Kate jumped into the back of the truck and lay flat on the ground, putting her hands up to cover her head, as the night suddenly began to scream with gunfire. She saw a rifle and reached forward to grab it.

She counted to three, trying to calm her nerves, trying to bring herself to get up. And then, on two, she was up and shooting, providing Sawyer with the cover fire he needed.  
'Get in!' Desmond shouted at Sawyer. 'Now!'  
Sawyer risked a glance behind him at Kate. She nodded quickly at him as she let off more rounds at the four men. In a flash, Sawyer vaulted into the back of the truck and lay down beside Kate.  
'Go!' he shouted at Desmond. 'Drive!'  
The truck screeched violently forward as Desmond stepped on the pedal. Kate watched as Bellic ran towards the other truck and jumped in, starting the engine and taking off after them.  
'He's behind us,' she shouted at Desmond, her words caught on the wind that was rushing past them.  
Sawyer got up on one knee and aimed the rifle at the car that was speeding after them. He shot, the sound so loud that Kate's ears rang loudly and painfully in protest. She lifted her own rifle and shot at the pursuing car.

One of the men went down, tumbling over the side of the truck, but his arm was caught, and he was dragged along the ground as Bellic's car swerved in and out through the forest. With a scream he was slammed against a tree, and then he disappeared into the night.

'One down.' Sawyer said, lifting his rifle again.  
Kate tried to keep her balance as Desmond lurched the car forward and up a bank. She shot again, aiming for Bellic, but she fell forward as Desmond sped over a bump, and hit her head painfully on the side of the truck.

'Kate?' Sawyer shouted, pulling at her to get her down and out of sight.  
'I'm ok,' she said, putting her hand to her head and feeling warm liquid there. She'd reopened the gash on her forehead and the blood was dripping down into her eyes, blinding her. She fell back on her haunches, rubbing desperately at her stinging eyes.

She heard Sawyer shout, a war-cry as he shot round after round at the car behind them. She got up, reaching for her rifle, and tried opening her eyes, fighting against the pain, letting her tears wash away the blood, she aimed, this time for the front wheel of the car. A loud bang signalled that Kate's bullet had reached it's target, then a loud rattling and scraping as the other car veered awkwardly across the terrain.  
'Go on girl!' Sawyer whooped excitedly as the distance between the two cars got wider and wider. 'Perfect shot!'

Kate smiled and sat back against the cabin of the pick up truck, exhausted, but alive with adrenaline. Sawyer smiled back at her and moved beside her, and together they watched as the trees whipped past, blurring into one, as Desmond drove them closer to freedom.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

They'd been driving for four hours when they finally pulled over to rest. Desmond had made a fire and the three of them sat around it, staring wordlessly into it's flames. Kate pressed the side of her body against Sawyer's, seeking his warmth.

'So what happens now?' Kate asked, her voice flat, her eyes never leaving the fire.  
'We get some sleep, head out in the morning,' Sawyer replied, his tone matching hers.  
'And you, Desmond? Are you coming with us?' Kate asked, looking up at the other man.

Desmond shook his head and threw a twig from the ground into the fire.  
'No.' he said firmly.  
'Will you go back to the forest?' Kate asked.  
'No,' Desmond said again. 'I shouldn't have been there in the first place.'  
'What were you doing there?' Kate asked.  
'I was looking for someone.'  
'Who?' Kate pressed.

Sawyer sighed and lay back, closing his eyes, obviously disinterested in hearing about Desmond's life. But Kate was curious about the Scotsman. There was something about him that filled her with sadness, when she looked into his eyes, she saw eternal unrest.

Desmond threw another stick into the fire and Kate watched it crackle and set fire.  
'Her name's Penny,' he said.  
When he said her name, Kate saw the flicker in his eye, a brief flash of hope, but it was gone in an instant.  
'What happened to her?' Kate whispered.

Desmond looked away and stared into the fire. 'I don't know,' he said. 'We were separated... There was a battle.' He looked away disgustedly. 'Isn't there always?'

'I lost her,' he went on. 'I've spent the last five years looking for her.' He looked up to meet Kate's eyes. 'For all I know, I could be looking for a ghost.'

Kate's eyes welled, but she fought back the tears. They were no use to him. She looked over at Sawyer, who had already fallen asleep, and watched him for a few moments. An instinctive protectiveness rushing over her. She understand why Desmond kept looking. It was all he could do.

'Why don't you come with us?' Kate asked softly. 'London's a big city. Maybe someone will know something.  
Desmond shook his head. 'The last lead I got headed down South, to the coast. I was on my way there when I came across the settlement. They… weren't very flexible when it came to me leaving.'  
'What will happen to them?' Kate asked, thinking of the young girl, Alex, they had left behind.  
'I don't know,' Desmond said simply.

They looked at each other for a moment, and then Desmond gave her a small smile.  
'Well,' he said. 'Goodnight.'  
'Night Desmond,' Kate said warmly. 'And thank you. For tonight.'  
He nodded and settled back on to the rough ground.

Kate stared at the fire for a while longer. Her exhausted mind racing. They were safe. They were finally safe. She closed her eyes and listened to Sawyer's soft breathing and smiled, and for the first time in days, she allowed herself to think of him. Thoughts that she knew she would never voice to him, that she was less afraid now that he was in her life. That he had become so important and integral to her life, that she could barely remember a time before him. She settled back, tentatively resting her head on his chest, suddenly unsure of the intimate action. But he put his arm out around her, and cradled her closer to his body.

She closed her eyes, and let the calm, steady beating of his heart lull her gently to sleep.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

'You've failed me.'  
'I haven't failed you yet.'  
'Then why is John Locke still alive?'  
'He's… proving difficult to find. But I will find him.'  
'And Jarrah?'  
'Jarrah will be easy. But you wanted Locke first.'

Ben Linus rolled the chair back from underneath the desk and got to his feet and walked over to the window.  
'You have one more week. If you don't bring me the body of John Locke your services will be... terminated.'

He looked out to the clean streets below, trying to quell the quiet fury in his stomach. These streets, his streets, his city. They were trying to take it from him, wanted to fill it up with their rancid stench, spread their slum diseases, paint it with their filth. He would never allow it, not as long as he was alive.  
'Any word on Sawyer and his thief girlfriend?' he spat.  
'Nothing.'  
Ben scowled and turned around. 'What exactly am I paying you for Penelope?'  
The blonde woman took a few steps forward, her blue eyes cool and empty of emotion. 'One week, Ben. Then we'll talk again.'

She walked out of the room and down to the streets below, not looking back, not looking forward, the echoing of her footsteps ringing hollow as she disappeared into the shadows.


	17. October 27

**October 27 2032**

Kate trudged across a wet and muddy field, lifting her legs high with each pace to combat the thick underbrush, her feet sinking deep into the soft ground below with each step. It was raining, the first time she had felt rain on her skin since she'd left London. At first it had felt good, comforting and familiar, but now it was just an annoyance. It was slowing her down, when all she wanted to do was get back home.

They'd had to leave the truck behind. It was bullet ridden and nearly out of petrol, and they had both decided it was a death trap. So they had said they're goodbyes to Desmond and started walking. At first it had been easy, she had almost enjoyed it. They had walked through the day, and in the night Kate and Sawyer had been truly alone for the first time since they had met, and they had taken full advantage of it. But the initial exhilaration of freedom and action had dissipated, giving way to exhaustion and uncertainty.

They were hungry, and tired. Neither of them had had a proper night sleep since they had left the city, and they had seen more action in that time than they had all year. Kate's muscles ached and her feet were numb from the cold, but she kept walking, her only thought now that she was free was of getting back to London and helping her friends. She had no doubt that Linus would make the people in the slums miserable in some kind of absurd retaliation for losing her and Sawyer.

'You ok Freckles?' Sawyer shouted over the rain, turning to look at her.  
Kate looked back at him and forced a smile. The last thing she wanted was to make him as miserable as she was feeling. Sawyer looked fine, unaffected by the weather and the trek. Hard work and torrential rain suited him, Kate thought. He walked as if he was walking down a clean, tended street, lithe and casual. The rain plastered his black shirt to his chest, and crystal drops of water fell off him onto the ground below.  
'Nothing to it,' she shouted back as if she were responding to a challenge, and as she said the words she began to feel them. She walked faster and fell into step with him and they moved forward together.

'So you sure this is what you want?' Sawyer asked.  
'What do you mean?' Kate shot back.  
'The city. We were lucky to get out of there with our lives, and now you want to go back?'  
'I have to,' she said quietly.  
Sawyer turned and looked at her through narrowed eyes.  
'You don't _have_ to do anything,' he said. 'You don't owe them Freckles.'  
'Yeah… I do.' Kate said firmly.

They walked together in silence for a while. She looked sideways at him, his face set firm, but open. Not judging her, not asking any questions, just walking with her. To wherever she wanted to go, she realised with a jolt. She shook her head at the thought of it, at her luck in finding him, and giving him a chance when she'd never given an inch to another person.

'What else would we do?' she asked after a while, wanting for just a second to stretch the fabric of their reality.  
He turned to look at her, squinting against the water that was falling into his eyes.  
'If we didn't go back?' she added, hoping she sounded casual.  
For a brief second, she saw a shadow pass over his face, but it was gone before she could think about it, replaced by an easy grin.  
'I don't know. I guess we'd find out.' he drawled.  
She turned away from him and smiled to herself, realising for the first time that it was the two of them now, and that she wasn't alone anymore.

The rain stopped and for a moment, the country around them hushed into deafening silence, before recovering and stirring cautiously back to life. Kate squeezed the water out of her hair and the front of her vest, silently thanking the gods for the reprieve. And then she saw something in the distance, on the horizon, a dark silhouette against the streaked grey sky.

'You see that?' she said, turning to look at Sawyer.  
He nodded and they both stopped for a minute to watch. Kate saw the figure of a man, and what looked like a horse trailing a cart. She turned to Sawyer, a question in her eyes.  
'Get your gun, just in case,' he replied nodding towards her back pack.

She pulled it out and stuck it into the back of her jeans, and they started to make their way towards the stranger.

As they drew closer, the man turned around, alerted by their approach. He slowly lifted up a hand, palm flat, in a motionless wave.  
'I don't want no trouble,' he shouted in a thick Devonshire accent.  
'We don't want to give you any,' Kate replied, lifting her own hands in a gesture of acquiescence.

The man watched them curiously as they approached. He was old, much older than she had first thought. His face was a map of deep valleys and rivers. He had clear blue eyes that looked out at her from underneath thick white eyebrows. He was dressed scruffily, his ragged clothes bound together with burlap. She looked over his shoulder and saw the cart his horse was carrying was half filled with vegetables and fruit. She shuddered at the sight of it. She thought they had been living in the dark ages in London, but seeing the old man in front of her, she realised she didn't know the half of it.

'I'm Kate,' she said, deciding it was safe.  
'Don't tell him your...' Sawyer started, before she cut him off.  
'And this is Sawyer,' Kate went on, ignoring him and smiling sweetly at the man.  
He looked at each one of them in turn, and Kate could feel Sawyer bristling beside her with impatience. But then the man stood back and nodded, seemingly satisfied.

'George,' he offered, voice like gravel. 'You kids lost?' he asked.  
'We're trying to get to London,' Kate said as Sawyer threw his hands up in exasperation at her openess. Kate ignored him and turned back to George.

'You're a long way from home,' he replied in his almost indecipherable accent. 'London's two hundred miles that way,' he said, pointing his arm behind their heads.  
'You gotta be kidding me,' Sawyer said. 'How the hell did we end up two hundred miles away?'  
'We must have been driving in the wrong direction the whole time,' Kate said, more to herself than to Sawyer.  
'You know where we can get hold of a car?' Sawyer asked impatiently.  
'Can't help you there, son,' the old man replied. 'All I got is Bill,' he said, jabbing his thumb behind him at the direction of the old horse.

Sawyer stared incredulously, before he turned away and began pacing. Kate stayed rooted to the spot, brow furrowed, biting her lip like she did when she was plotting a job. Sawyer recognised the look in her eyes and lifted a weary eyebrow at her.

'We're going to have to walk it,' she said calmly, shrugging her shoulders, inwardly bracing herself for his reaction.  
'Course we are,' Sawyer said sarcastically, as if it were the greatest idea he'd ever heard. 'That's exactly what we should do Kate. Walk two hundred miles across country, with barely any ammo, no food, no water, right up to the gates of Central, Have I got that right?'  
'Yeah,' she said. 'That's about right Sawyer.'

He looked at her darkly, before turning his back on her, muttering under his breath. Kate turned back to George who had been watching them, eyes twinkling. He looked back at her, watching her intently, the light falling from his eyes.  
'I never heard any good news come out of London,' he said after a while. 'People say it's like hell.'  
'No worse than what I've seen since I left it,' Kate said, a defensive edge to her tone.  
George shrugged and turned around. 'Least you can let me give you something to help you on your way,' he said, eyeing the cart.  
'No,' Kate protested. 'Really. we'll be fine.'  
'Good thinking Freckles,' Sawyer shouted from where he had walked, further into the field, not dropping the sarcasm. 'That should make things a little easier.'

Kate turned back to George, a blush rising in her cheeks. She hated asking anyone for anything, but Sawyer was right. If they had any chance of making it back to London they were going to need food.  
'Just… whatever you can spare,' Kate said apologetically.  
George looked up at her and raised his arm, resting his hand on her shoulder and smiling at her warmly.  
'Don't say another word,' he said, tugging at her backpack.

She shrugged the bag off her shoulders and watched as the old man started to fill it up, slowly and carefully, picking up each piece of fruit one at a time and placing it in the bag as if he was performing a ritual. Kate looked away, the simple act of human kindness threatening to choke her. She swallowed hard when George returned with the bag and handed it to her with a smile.

'There's a road,' George said. 'About fifteen miles east of here. Leads all the way to London.'  
Kate heard Sawyer approach and felt a rush if warmth as he appeared by her side. She looked up at him and saw his face had softened slightly and she shot him a thankful smile. He nodded back at her grudgingly and turned his attentions to the old man's instructions.  
'I suggest you keep off it though,' George went on. 'It gets used a lot and never for any good. Just use it as a guide.'  
Kate nodded and took a deep breath, bracing herself.  
'Thank you for all your help,' she said sincerely.  
George reached out and took her hands in his, and she felt an instant rush of peace when he did. He looked intently at her, before gently letting her hands go.

'You're a good person, of course I would help you,' George said solemnly, and Kate felt her breath catch at the statement. It wasn't true, and she suddenly felt like she was deceiving him. She started to protest, but he held up a finger to his lips and shook his head.  
'Go on then, if you're going,' he said gruffly.  
Sawyer nodded at George. 'Thanks for the help old man,' he said as he started to walk eastwards.  
Kate took one last look at the man and bowed her head slightly, not trusting herself to speak. George looked back at her, his old, weather-beaten face breaking out into a wide smile, his blue eyes sparkling again, and Kate couldn't help but smile back, her heart lifting slightly.  
'Thank you George,' she said, meeting his eyes.  
'Go on with you,' he said, waving her off dismissively, as he turned back to his horse.

Kate laughed and turned on her heels, jogging to catch up with Sawyer.  
'Don't know what you're looking so pleased about,' Sawyer grumbled.  
'It's not that bad,' she replied lightly.  
'This is gonna take at least a week,' he said. 'And we may have some food, but we still ain't got much ammo, and all I'm ever hearing is how we're gonna need it.'  
'We'll just keep away from the road,' Kate said.

They walked together in silence for a while, until Kate realised Sawyer was watching her suspiciously.  
'What?' she laughed.  
'You're enjoying this, ain't you Freckles.'  
Kate shrugged. 'Makes a change,' she said simply.  
'Well I'll be sure to remind you you said that a few days from now.'  
Kate rolled her eyes, refusing to let him ruin her mood. Meeting George had buoyed her, made her feel hopeful, however irrational it was. They knew where they were going now. They had a goal, and Kate loved nothing more than a challenge. It also meant they had time to formulate some kind of plan before they returned to the city.

After a few hours they reached the road, a thick slab of grey stone, peppered with potholes, weeds twisting through the cuts that ripped across it. It stretched as far as she could see in both directions, further down the road was the shell of a car, half sunken into the earth like a carcass.

'Looks like we found it,' she said.  
'You don't say,' Sawyer replied.

Wordlessly they retraced their steps back, walking far enough away from the road that they could still see it and follow it out of sight.

The sun began to set as they walked, burning the earth a deep orange before dissappearing completely, giving away to dark blue streaking clouds across a black sky. Kate looked up, awed despite herself at the sight of the stars.  
'Don't get to see that every day,' she said quietly.  
Sawyer looked at her, then up at the sky, and nodded slightly, his shoulders finally relaxing a fraction, to Kate's relief.

'We should probably make camp soon,' Kate said.  
She wasn't tired, in fact she hadn't felt so energised in days, but she wanted to move at first light and she planned to walk through the day.  
'I'm out of matches,' Sawyer said.  
'What?' Kate smiled. 'You've never made a fire? Thought they would have taught you that in mercenary school.'  
'Funny,' Sawyer said sarcastically. 'You telling me you can make a fire too now, jungle girl?'  
'I do it all the time, in my flat back in London.'  
'You're kidding me.'  
'Get's pretty cold,' she said simply.  
'Where do you live anyway Freckles,' he said, narrowing his eyes, a smile on his lips. 'You gonna tell me now, or you still don't trust me?'  
Kate smiled and rolled her eyes at him. 'I live by the river,' she said.  
'I figured that much,' he said.  
'Cause you were following me,' Kate stated with a smile, remembering how she'd tackled him the third time they'd met.  
'I wasn't following you,' he said weakly. 'I was…'  
'Following me,' Kate supplied. 'Why were you following me anyway?' she asked after a while.  
'Don't give me any of that Freckles, you know why,' he said, looking at her in a way she couldn't mistake.  
Her heart skipped a beat, and she was amazed that he could still have that effect on her when she'd spent every waking moment with him for so long, when he had already taken in every part of her. She heard him chuckling at her and she grinned back at him, despite herself.

They didn't stop for the night to sleep, instead they kept walking, neither of them ready to break away from the easy dance they had fallen into, not wanting to stop talking, flirting and sparring. Both of them were hardened and cynical enough to know that their time was running out. That this wouldn't last, because they were going back. Walking willingly and determined into their own destruction.


	18. November 4

**A/N: Many thanks to InvaderMadras and angelfan86xx**

**November 4 2032**

Sawyer picked up his steps and rubbed his hands together, trying to keep himself warm. It was late afternoon, but the sun was offering no warmth and the wind was high, blasting him with icy waves of air that chilled him to the marrow. For the first time since he'd left the city, he was actually looking forward to getting back, just so he could sleep under a roof, on a soft mattress.

The trek had become slow and tedious, the landscape never seemed to change. Endless rolling hills raised to meet stormy sky. Vast sheets of green only broken by sporadically sprouting forests of stripped trees and frozen earth.

Every bone in his body ached and with every step he took his muscles screamed at him to stop.

He turned to look at Kate, silently assessing her. She didn't look good. She was stumbling slightly as she walked. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold, and her eyes watered against the wind. The bruise on her temple was stark purple against her pale skin. She still hadn't recovered from the beating she'd taken in the tower, he thought, but still she kept walking.

'You'd make a good Blade, you know that?' he said, smiling at her, knowing she would hate the idea. But he wanted to get a rise out of her, hear her talk to him, even if it was to snap at him. She'd been silent most of the day. At first he'd been too focused on his own miseries and hadn't given it much thought, but now the absence of her voice was deafening, and he was starting to worry about her. He didn't know how long they had been walking, at least six days, and she was too proud to tell him if she was in pain, or if she was finding the trek too hard.

'Worth at least two of my men,' he went on. 'Half of them would've dropped a few days ago.'  
She didn't reply, looking straight ahead. He noticed her lips were almost blue, and he moved closer to her, taking her hand and putting it into his pocket. She was ice cold and he rubbed it with his own, warming her up. She looked up at him and smiled weakly, the first acknowledgement of his presence in hours.

'Can't be much further now,' he said, pulling her closer and scanning the empty horizon. He wanted to sound reassuring, but the truth was, he had no idea how much further it was. It had already taken longer than he'd expected.

The sound of an engine rumbled softly in the distance, and Kate and Sawyer looked at each other wearily before dropping to their stomachs on the icy cold ground and reaching for their guns, aiming them straight ahead. It had become a daily ritual. Often twice a day. The old man had been right about the road, at least eleven cars and trucks had gone through it in the week they had been following it. The road was obviously also used as a trade route and a thoroughfare through the country. On the fourth day of the trek Sawyer and Kate had argued about whether to ambush one of the traders and steal their trucks. Sawyer's suggestion. Kate had won, as she always did when they disagreed.

The noise of the engine drew closer and Sawyer lowered his head, looking at it through the target of his rifle. It was an old jeep, stripped of most of it's outer shell, a huge gun had been mounted on the cross bar over the top, and a man leaned casually on the butt of it, smoking a cigarette. They could have been bandits, they could have been freedom-fighters, it didn't matter to Sawyer. Whoever they were, they were heavily armed, and he wouldn't hesitate to fire at the first sign of trouble. He held his breath as the truck drove parallel to their position, and carried on it's path up the road, leaving a trail of dust in it's wake.

They stayed motionless in the deep grass until they heard the last strains of the motor on the wind, then Sawyer got up and held out his hand to Kate. She took it and pulled herself up, and when she did, Sawyer could feel her arm trembling slightly with exertion.

She shot him a dark look, as if she already knew what he was going to say.  
'Let's keep moving,' she muttered, before shaking herself off and resuming the trek.  
'Kate,' he said, starting to get impatient. 'Slow down. You're not gonna be any good to anyone if you keep going like this.'  
'We can rest when we get there.'  
'Right,' he said, shaking his head.

There'd be no rest back in London. He had no idea what to expect when he got there, it didn't matter. They were walking straight into the lion's den and he'd have to be on constant alert. He knew he wouldn't sleep as long as Kate and Ben Linus were in the same city.  
'We need to find Locke,' Kate went on. 'That's first. And Sayid.'  
Sawyer bristled at the mention of the names. He had no time for either of them, Sayid with his wide-eyed quest for liberation, Locke and his all-knowing smirk. He didn't give a damn if he never saw either of them again. He hated that it was Sayid and Locke who had been the ones to give Kate hope, while he had been helping to destroy the spirit of her home and her people.

After an hour or two, the long grass below them gave way to the dry soil of a small forest. They walked into it, the light changing as the canopy of the trees blocked out what little sun there was. They stepped over fallen logs and broken branches, through thick, thorny brushes that scraped at their skin. Soon they stumbled across a small, winding stream that cut through the forest, glittering and gliding across the earth.

Sawyer crouched down beside it and scooped up some of the ice-cold water and drank it down. Kate did the same, and splashed some of it into her face.  
'I can't wait to have a bath,' she muttered under her breath as she tied her hair up and rubbed at her neck.  
She moved back from the stream and settled down on a log near by, and reached into her bag. Sawyer sat next to her and she moved closer, seeking his warmth. She pulled out an apple and some blackberries and passed them to Sawyer, before taking an apple for herself.

He stretched his legs out in front of him and started munching on the fruit.  
'You know,' Kate said thoughtfully after a while, chewing on her apple and swallowing it down. 'I don't think it's a good idea for you to go back to the townhouse.'  
'You asking me to move in with you Freckles?' he said, grinning at her.  
She smiled back, rolling her eyes. 'Locke has a few places, I'm sure I could persuade him to let you stay in one.'  
'I don't want anything from that bald bastard,' he said darkly.  
'Why don't you like him?' she asked.  
'I gotta have a reason?' he said.  
'I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for him.' said Kate.  
'What'd he do?' Sawyer asked, curious now the conversation had turned.

She never talked about her past, and he wanted to know everything there was to know.  
'He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He didn't have to do that Sawyer. He could have let me freeze to death on the streets. I wouldn't have been the only one.'  
'Well, that's one thing he has going for him,' Sawyer conceded grudgingly. 'What happened to your family?' he asked, knowing he was pushing it, but instead of clamming up, she shot him a sad smile that made him want to pull her into his arms.  
'They were no good. So I left,' she said simply. 'I figured I'd try my luck here, start over. I stowed away in the storage hold of one of the last ships out.' She shrugged slightly, turning to meet his eyes. 'I don't know what happened to them when I left. I don't like to think about it.'

Sawyer knew what had happened. He'd been there, watched as his country collapsed into terror and insanity.  
'How did you get here?' Kate asked suddenly, interrupting his thoughts.  
'Linus,' Sawyer said darkly.  
Just saying the man's name inflamed a burning ball of rage in his stomach.  
'He brought me here.'  
'Why?'  
'To take over the Blades,' he said tiredly. 'He knew that's what kept the slums strong, and protected. Once Shepherd was out the way, I was the perfect guy to step in. He put me there. He knew what would happen. I knew what would happen.'  
Kate didn't reply, looking straight ahead. He let that sink in. If there was one thing he wanted, it was to be straight with her. She deserved that much. He finished off his apple, and threw the core over his shoulder.

'You know how long I was searching for you, Freckles?' he said after a while. 'When I didn't know who you were?'  
It seemed like a world away, another lifetime. Everything had been so different, everything had changed so much since he met her. 'Linus was obsessed,' he went on. 'Every time you broke in there. Every time you took something that belonged to him, it would eat away at him.'  
'It was never personal,' Kate shrugged. 'But I'm glad.'

'You can have the Blades,' Sawyer said.  
'What?' Kate asked, her brow furrowing cutely. He smiled at her, and moved a curly lock of hair from her face, and tucked it behind her ear.  
'You can have the Blades,' he repeated. 'For this freedom mission of yours. They're all yours. I'll order them to do whatever you want.'  
'They'd change their allegiances?' Kate said sceptically, raising an eyebrow. 'Just like that?'  
'They're mercenaries. They don't have allegiances.'

They finished up their fruit and got up, returning to the trek. After a few hours, they left the forest behind them, returning to the open plains. The walk led them mostly downhill, so they made good progress, but the sun had set and the air grew even colder. Sawyer could see his breath turning to steam as he exhaled. He looked up and groaned when he saw the ground was beginning to rise steeply now, and they were headed straight towards a huge, rocky hill.

'Can we go around it?' Kate said, sensing his thoughts.  
'Don't think so Freckles,' Sawyer said, his eyes trying to focus on the black horizon. 'Looks like it stretches for miles.'  
'Come on then,' Kate said, stretching her arms over her head. 'Maybe we'll be able to see something from the top.'

At first the walk uphill wasn't too bad, the ground gently rising upwards, but soon the grass petered out, and they were facing hard rock ridges. Sawyer heaved himself up the first one, dropping an arm for Kate. She grabbed it and pushed her foot against the side of the rock to boost herself up. He stopped for a minute to catch his breath, before tackling the next ridge.

It was almost vertical, and the top was high above his head. He scanned the hill, looking for an easier route, but there was no other way but up. He jumped and grabbed the top of it, and pulled himself over, laying flat on his stomach to reach down for Kate.

They carried on that way for what felt like an eternity, scrambling over each ridge, the top never seeming to draw any closer.

'How you holding up Freckles?' Sawyer said, as they stopped to rest for a moment.  
'I'm… ok…' she breathed. 'This has to be the last one,' she said, looking up at the next ridge.

He reached for the top of the next platform and pulled himself up, and when he reached the top he felt a blast of air hit him. He landed on flat earth and soft grass, Kate close behind. They collapsed on to their backs, staring up exhausted at the stars above, breathing deeply.

Finally, Sawyer sat up and looked down at the hill they'd just climbed and whistled. Then he turned around.

'Son of a..'  
'What?' Kate said, getting up from the ground and turning to see. And then her eyes widened, as she saw what he was looking at. Sawyer slowly got to his feet and moved to her side as they stared at the horizon.

London. Another days walk, maybe two, but he knew. It was unmistakeably London.

It was a burning furnace of light, on a vast ocean of dark flat lands. He could see the river winding across the earth, until it was swallowed by the city, and he saw the rest of it as it flowed out from the other side, thinner, and snaking far into the distance.

He turned to Kate and she looked back at him, her face pale in the moonlight and her eyes watering.

It was smoking. Black churning columns of smoke reached high into an even blacker sky. As if the entire city was burning to the ground.


	19. November 6

**November 6 2032**

It was dusk by the time Kate and Sawyer reached the outer limits of the city. The sun was setting over the western horizon. The spires and the towers of the city were pitch black against a blood-red sky, streaked with luminous golden clouds. Kate breathed in deeply. She could smell London, she could taste it. She was home.

She looked over at Sawyer, and realised he felt the opposite. He looked resigned. As if he knew what lay ahead, as if he knew there was only one way this could end. She wanted to reassure him. Tell him she would be ok, that they would be ok, but as she looked at the city ahead of her, she knew she couldn't promise a thing.

'Last chance, Freckles,' Sawyer said, though the tone of his voice betrayed him. He already knew what her answer would be. Without waiting to hear it, he started walking, slowly, towards the same road they had been following for over a week, that led right into the heart of the city. Kate limped slightly as she moved to catch up with him.

Together, they looked like soldiers coming home from war instead of two people walking into one. Sawyer's shirt sleeves had been ripped off and used as bandages, and his Blade-issue combats were torn at the knees. His face was covered in fading bruises from his time in the Tower and he'd lost so much weight from the long trek and the lack of food, that his clothes hung looser than before. He walked as if he were half asleep, his footsteps heavy and plodding, his head cast downwards.

Though Sawyer was in a bad way, Kate was much worse. She had never had a chance to recover from her own experience at the tower. The gash on her forehead had closed, but it never stopped emitting consistent rhythms of pain. She'd sprained her ankle and every step she took made her wince. She was filthy, exhausted and had reached the limit of her physical boundaries, but her mind had never clouded. Her goal had never changed. And now every step she took was another step closer to the future, to clearing up the mess she'd made.

As they drew closer to the edge of the city, they could see five men surrounding the main road in. Their attire instantly gave away whose side they were on.  
'They've taken the borders,' Kate breathed, her heart lifting slightly in hope.  
Sawyer nodded, but moved closer to her, and reached for the rifle on his shoulder.

'Stop! Stop right there!'  
One of the men in the group had noticed them, and now five sets of eyes were pointed their way. Wearily, Kate stopped and lifted up her arms, turning to Sawyer, beseeching him to do the same.  
'Uh uh, Freckles,' he said. 'I have my limits.'  
Instead he set his rifle to the floor, and let his arms drop to his side as he raised his head defiantly to face down the gate guard.

His approach was hurried and stern, but as he neared them, he stopped in his tracks, looking at Kate, then Sawyer, then back at Kate again, his eyes wide in disbelief and his mouth open.  
'Are you… her?' he breathed, after a moment of stunned silence, taking a few steps closer.  
Kate looked at Sawyer, then back at the guard. He was a kid, no more than seventeen, Kate realised. The look of shock on his face slowly faded, making way for a huge smile as he laughed out loud.  
'It is you! You came back!' he looked up at Sawyer, shaking his head. 'I can't believe it!'

'Actually,' he said, changing tact. 'I can believe it. I told them. I told all of them. I said, "mark my words, boys. They'll come back for us, and when they do…"'  
'Hold on there kid,' Sawyer interrupted impatiently. 'We don't have time for this, we got some business to attend to in there,' he said, pointing over his head to the towering city beyond. 'So if you don't mind…'  
'Do you know who I am,' Kate asked the boy, eyes narrowing.  
'Everyone knows who you are,' the kid replied exuberantly. 'There are pictures of you everywhere. You're the Black Rat! You're Kate Austin.'

Kate's heart stopped in that instant, and her whole world slowed down, and began spinning, blurring around her, making her dizzy. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady herself and opened them again. She'd known. Of course she had known that by now her secret was out. Bellic had found out who she was in less than a day. But the look on the boy's face, the sheer hope that shone in his eyes. It was too much for her. It was too big. She turned to Sawyer who had been watching her closely, and as soon as their eyes met he took her hands in his, pulling her closer, moving her around so that he was in between her and the boy.

'We're going in there together. You hear? You and me Freckles. You ain't alone in this.'  
She breathed out shakily, holding his hands tighter, her eyes searching his.  
'You understand?' he said. His words were vicious, and she believed every one.

Her heart beat steadied and she smiled at him. He reached down, moving a curly strand of hair from her face, and kissed her, affirming everything he'd just said. They broke apart and Sawyer nodded at her, waiting for her to make the call. She nodded back and pulled away, straightening her back and turning to the boy.

'We're going in there,' she said coolly, pointing towards the city.  
Her stern tone made the boy stand at attention, as if he had been given orders from a superior, he nodded sharply and turned on his heels, marching towards the startled group who had been watching events unfold.

'Come on then lads,' the boy shouted. 'Out the way.'  
A split second later, the group jumped into action, lining up on either side of the road.

Kate and Sawyer moved past them, slowly, painfully, straight into the grey mass of network of buildings, and rubble and dark alleys, and upturned parks and broken roads. Into the sheer devastation that was the slums of London.

It was quiet. Almost unnaturally so. This part of town should have been much busier, Kate thought, where traders met with suppliers, and families met with long-travelled relatives. Instead, Kate could see a handful of people, walking as if they had no purpose or destination.

Together they moved forward, the grass that they had been travelling across for so long was gone. Now they walked across broken concrete, ripped tarmac, twisting metal. An unnatural desolation.

Empty, derelict houses loomed on either side of them as they took the road that led to the eastern district, where John Locke's bar was. Her heart pounded in her chest with anticipation. She didn't know what she'd expected to find when she got here, but the silence surrounding her was furthest from any of her imaginations.

Suddenly, she heard a childish giggle, and saw a child run out from behind one of the buildings. She had blonde curly hair that bounced around her shoulders as she ran. She wore a pink t-shirt that was no more than rags, and shoes that were too big for her. She couldn't have been older than six years old, Kate thought sadly. The little girl was quickly followed by a brown-haired boy of the same age, dirt smeared across his face, a smile on his lips only one as innocent could recreate. They both stopped as they saw Kate and Sawyer and approached them, happy and trusting.

'Out of the way kids,' Sawyer growled as they stood in their paths, but instead of running away, the children broke into more giggles, moving slightly to let them pass.  
Kate and Sawyer kept walking, but when Kate looked back over her shoulder, she saw the boy whisper into the girl's ear, then they both turned to look at Kate, and ran after them, as fast as their little legs would allow. Kate frowned and looked away, grabbing Sawyer's hand as she moved into an alleyway that she's used as a shortcut to the east before. The two children followed them, though they kept their distance, only running to catch up when Kate and Sawyer were nearly out of sight.

They stepped out of the alleyway and into another road, and this street was buzzing with activity. Crowds of people in corners, moving slowly down the street, in doorways, resting against buildings. Kate saw, out of the corner of her eye, a man, who had been leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette, drop it when he saw her and stand up straight, looking at her the same was the boy at the gate had been. She squeezed Sawyer's hand as she turned away, looking straight into the eyes of another stare aimed her way, from a rosy-cheeked woman. Her bright blonde hair was scraped out of her face, adding to the look of shock.

Then she began to hear whispers, timid whisperings where she could make out her own name, and Sawyer's name, and the Blades, and Ben.

Suddenly people started appearing out of nowhere, from around the back of buildings and from further up the road, as if somehow the word was out that they were back. Kate quickened her steps, ignoring the screaming pain in her ankle. She felt suffocated, and all she wanted to do was get inside, away from all these staring eyes.

The noise around her grew, as if making up for the earlier silence. Loud voices, met with cheers as the crowd grew bigger and bigger, either side of the street, like Sawyer and Kate were part of a parade. Whoops of excitement, shouts of encouragement. When Kate dared to look up again, she saw smiles on their faces, their hands clapping a rhythmic beat of expectation.

She searched the area ahead, trying to figure out where she was, but all she could see were more people headed straight towards them.

Suddenly, a large man broke away from the crowd and ran towards them. He was as big as a bear, and looked just as fierce, his face was gnarled and craggy, giving him an air of brutish intent. He grabbed hold of Sawyer's arm and Kate leapt towards them, but when he spoke, Kate realised he was a Blade.

'Commander,' the man said, looking at Sawyer, his face breaking out into a smile. 'It's good to see you sir.'  
Sawyer smiled back, giving Kate a mild shock. It was the first time she'd seen him be civil to anyone but herself.  
'Good to see you too Cid,' Sawyer nodded. 'Now get us out of here.'  
Cid moved towards them and put a huge hand on Kate's arm, gently shepherding them to the side. He pushed through the crowd unceremoniously, creating a path for Kate and Sawyer to follow. They ducked into an alley and followed him as he weaved his way through the quiet back streets of the slums.

'Where to boss?' he said, turning to Sawyer when they were far away from the crowd.  
They were in a small square, surrounded by tall grey houses, a patch of mud in the centre that would have once been a garden.  
'John Locke's bar,' Sawyer said darkly.  
Cid stopped and turned around to face them, and Kate felt a gnawing dread growing inside her.  
'If you're looking for Locke, you won't find him there,' Cid replied.  
'What do you mean?' Kate said, suddenly anxious for her friend. 'Where is he?'  
'He's ok,' Cid said quickly, his weathered face breaking into a gentle smile. 'He's staying in a warehouse near the river. He's been moving around a lot.'  
'How'd you know so much about that bald bastard anyway?' Sawyer asked, his eyes narrowing.  
Cid gulped and looked away, and Kate realised he was scared of Sawyer, or at least, he had his respect. Cid looked back at Sawyer, the hint of guilt fading from his eyes, his face darkening.

'Lot of Blades died at the hands of that bastard, boss.'  
'Ben,' Sawyer stated darkly.  
'He didn't care,' Cid went on. 'I went to Central and spoke to him myself. We thought you were dead,' he said by way of explanation, looking away. 'They were murdering women and children in the street. We had to do something.'  
'It's ok Cid,' Sawyer said. 'If I'd of been here I'd of done the same damn thing. You did good.'  
Cid smiled, his shoulders relaxing.  
'It's good to have you back,' Cid said. 'You've become a bit of a legend round here boss,' he said, his grin widening. 'All the slums talk of you and Miss Austin,' he said, nodding in Kate's direction.  
'Is that right,' Sawyer drawled, unimpressed, but Kate could tell that had rattled him. 'Ok, enough jibber-jabber,' he said. 'Let's move.'

It didn't take them long to get to the warehouse, but by the time they did the sun had disappeared completely and the sky was black and clouded. The warehouse sat near the river, not far from her own house, in a copse of overgrown bushes and trees. They walked through and stopped at a creaky wooden door. Cid rapped on the door twice, before waiting a beat and knocking three more times.

Kate looked around, making sure they hadn't been followed. She saw nothing, heard nothing but the river as it washed against the bank. She closed her eyes for a moment as she listened to it. The river had kept her company for so long, lulling her to sleep, gently rocking her awake with the strains of its eternal motion carrying on the winds.

Suddenly the door opened, and there was John, her friend, his face older than she'd remembered and pale in the moonlight. When he saw her, he smiled. As if he hadn't smiled in weeks. His whole body seemed to lighten before her eyes, as if the heaviest burden had been removed. But the way he looked at her told her he already knew. He knew this moment was coming.  
'Welcome back Kate,' he said simply, his eyes twinkling, and Kate laughed.  
Locke pulled the door open wider, smiling knowingly at Sawyer as he stepped over the threshold. Kate had to stop herself from laughing again, knowing how much that look would have annoyed him. John shut the door behind them and looked at Kate and then at Sawyer, as if assessing them.

'Let me make us something to eat,' he said, beckoning at them to follow.  
The words were like a melody to Kate's ears. The thought of a hot dinner, and of a comfortable chair, propelled her forward, as if she hadn't walked over two hundred miles in less than a fortnight, as if these were the first steps she'd taken all day. She followed him down the stairs, Sawyer and Cid close behind, and into a small, warmly-lit room, with a large blue shag carpet in the centre. A desk sat in one corner with two wooden chairs, but on the other side of the room, was a small, sickly-yellow coloured couch. It was ripped, the stuffing was pouring out of it at the sides and it bulged in all the wrong places, but to Kate it looked like the lap of luxury. She crossed the room and sat down, her tired body sinking into the chair.

She was bounced up slightly as Sawyer sat down heavily beside her.  
'I don't think I'll ever be able to get up again,' Kate said, turning to him.  
Sawyer chuckled and lifted his arms up over his head, his tired bones cracking at the effort. 'Sounds good to me Freckles,' he said, closing his eyes.

Locke and Cid buzzed around, moving in and out of the kitchen, bringing in plates and bottles of wine, breads and cheeses and bowls of vegetables and potatoes.

They handed Kate and Sawyer a plate each, and a glass of the warm wine and pulled up the two chairs from the other side of the room, joining them as they ate their dinner.

To Kate, it was the most exquisite meal she had ever tasted. Every bite made her feel stronger, warmed her up and filled her with energy. They ate together in a comfortable silence and when they had finished, Locke took their empty plates away from the room, returning a few moments later with a bottle of whiskey and four shot glasses.  
'Saved from the bar,' he said, holding the glasses up, a small smile playing on his lips.  
'Is it gone?' Kate asked.

Locke didn't reply, he just shot her a look that suggested she should already know the answer. She felt an inexplicable sadness run through her as she watched him put the glasses down on a small table beside the couch and pour out the golden liquid. It was just a building, but it had been like a second home to her. She shook her head against her selfish thoughts and waited for John to hand her a glass. He passed them around, and lifted his as if to make a toast, but he didn't speak. Everyone in the circle lifted up their own glasses, and then drank down the whisky.

It burned a fiery path down Kate's throat, into her stomach, emanating a warm glow that ran into her veins, through her body, and straight to her head. She held out her glass as John poured another round, sipping it this time, before she put it down on the table beside her.

The group sat in silence together, no one sure where to start, so much had happened to all of them since they'd last seen each other. Kate was the first to speak.

'Is Sayid ok?' Kate asked.  
'Physically? Yes,' Locke said. 'There's been a lot of fighting, he's never been far from the frontline. He works endlessly. When he's not fighting, he's here planning.'  
'What can we do?' Kate asked.  
'You can get some rest,' Locke said. 'You're no good to any of us like this.  
'I want to help,' Kate said stubbornly.  
'Would you listen to someone else for once in your life?' Sawyer said irritably as Locke chuckled softly.  
Then he grew serious, and leaned forward in his chair, watching his glass intently as he swirled the whisky around it.

'Kate,' he said, looking up, his tone shaking her out of her whisky haze. 'You need to lay low for a while. If Ben finds out you're back in London, he'll turn every resource, every ounce of manpower, into finding you. Your faces are plastered all over this city. God knows how many people he has out there looking for you right now. He has tried to burn the slums to the ground looking for you. You have to disappear for a while, until we can figure out what to do.'  
'So we hide.' Kate said indignantly.  
'For now.' John replied. 'The same goes for you Sawyer. You can't trust anyone in the slums.'  
'I _don't_ trust anyone in the slums,' Sawyer snapped. 'And it's too late. Words out. We were met by the welcoming committee when we got here.'

Locke chewed on his lip, mulling over the information, and then Cid cleared his throat and straightened in his chair.  
'You got something to add to this discussion, Hoss?' Sawyer asked impatiently.  
'The townhouse was destroyed sir,' Cid said, meeting his fierce gaze. 'Nearly two weeks ago. As soon as we started fighting for the slums.'

Sawyer got up off his chair, and started pacing around the room.  
'Starting to agree with ya Freckles,' he growled. 'I ain't hiding while that bug-eyed bastard's still breathing.'  
'It's not forever, Sawyer,' Kate said.  
'Oh so now it's not forever?' Sawyer snapped. 'A few minutes ago, you couldn't wait to get out there.'  
Kate sat back in the chair, knowing it was useless to argue with him. She knew he'd calm down in a minute. And Locke was right. They needed a plan. She hadn't walked all this way to get herself killed.  
'You'll stay with me,' Kate said simply, her face burning slightly under the gaze of John.  
He was almost like a father to her, and suddenly she felt like a child.  
'They haven't found my hideout have they John?' she asked, daring to meet his eyes.  
He shook his head no, his blue eyes smiling. Sawyer didn't respond to Kate's offer, instead muttering something under his breath as he carried on pacing the room. Finally he walked back over to the couch and sat down, drinking his whisky down and holding out his glass for another. John obliged, the look of serenity in his eyes never fading.

'How long?' Kate asked.  
'I'll arrange a meeting with Sayid, a week from now. You know my hideout on the southern edge of the city?' he asked. Kate nodded.  
'Eight o'clock.'  
'Eight o'clock,' Kate repeated quietly. She sat back in her chair, feeling like she could relax slightly now that she had a plan, a next step.

Locke poured them all another round: 'To the future,' he said, looking around the group.  
'Or our history,' Sawyer said, his eyes flashing as he knocked back his whisky and sunk in to the chair.


	20. November 7

**November 7 2032**

Sawyer craned his head to look up at Kate's hideout from where he stood at the foot of it, amid piles of rubble and scraps of metal, the night sky grey and gloomy above. The building looked like it shouldn't be standing at all, he thought, staring at it open-mouthed. It was a modern structure, no more than forty years old. It would once have been a monument of shining steel and gleaming glass. The huge rounded girders that supported it twisted like a skeleton, writhing out from the destruction below.

It stood in wintry wasteland, on the outskirts of the slums. Close enough that he could almost smell them and hear them; whispering voices carrying on the wind. But far enough away that they were completely isolated. The river rushed untamed beside the building, swirling violently. Eternally moving forward and beyond, towards the sea.

Sawyer looked up to see Kate's shadow disappearing inside and he moved forward, quickening his steps as he caught up with her. He walked in through a shell of a door and into the foyer. The decaying remains of a reception desk stood against the eastern wall, in front of two elevator shafts. He looked up and saw the stair case, rising to the very top of the building. There were no other floors, just jutting chunks of concrete, pointing to where the separate floors once were. Huge shafts of moonlight sliced through the darkness from the skylight roof above.

'You gotta be kidding me,' he muttered under his breath.  
Kate was walking up the spiral staircase. It looked like it would crumble at any moment. He could see areas of it had gone completely.

He followed, climbing the stairs carefully, testing the weight of each one under his feet before moving forward.  
'You ok back there?' Kate asked from what Sawyer guessed was the third floor.  
'Just dandy,' he hissed back sarcastically, looking down at the ground below. 'You walk this death trap every day Freckles?'  
'It's perfectly safe,' she said. 'Just keep to the walls.'  
'Right,' Sawyer muttered, moving his back to the wall and laying his palms flat against it. 'Keep to the walls. No problem.'  
'Are you scared of heights Sawyer?' Kate asked smugly, the laughter evident in her voice.  
Sawyer looked out over the edge of the stairs, a rush of vertigo hitting him. He was forty feet up, with only thin slabs of aging concrete between him and a fall to the ground.  
'Nah,' he said smiling up at her, full of bravado. 'Ain't nothing to it.'

He looked up to see Kate had reached the top floor, and solid ground. He climbed forward, refusing to look down, keeping his eyes focused on Kate, and the knowing smile on her face. Finally he reached the top, letting out a heavy, shaky breath.  
'Nothing to it, right?' she said, laughing.  
'Freckles?' Sawyer said.  
'Yes Sawyer?' Kate said sweetly.  
'Shut up,' he said pulling her close to him and kissing her before she could respond. He felt her relax in his arms and he smiled as he pulled away. She opened her eyes and smiled back. She pulled out of his grasp and went to the door and opened it, looking back at him, her eyes shining.  
'Well? You coming in?' she said.

Sawyer grinned and stepped across the threshold and into Kate's hideout. He looked around, eyes wide. The cavernous room had wall to wall windows, giving a panoramic view of the city around them. Most of the windows had long lost their glass and the wind rushed, howling through the gaps, chilling him to the bone. It was barely furnished. There was a small kitchen that looked like it was sinking into the floor, a large cupboard, with one door hanging off it's hinge, a desk, two chairs, a small tin bath and a thin mattress. That was it. No pictures on the walls, no carpets on the rotting wooden floor. There was no colour. It was a uniform grey. But the city… the city was all around them, twinkling orange and electric white, smoking, living and breathing. Everywhere he turned, he could see it from a new angle. The illuminated spires and towers of Central, and the low-rise expanse of the slums, bathed in moonlight.

'First time I've ever seen you speechless,' Kate said, coming up behind him. She put her hands on his sides and he covered them with his own, pulling her closer to the back of him.

Sawyer stepped forward, keeping hold of her hand as he walked towards the west facing window, Kate's favourite. Where she would sit and watch as the world span beneath her feet.

'There's the townhouse,' Sawyer said, pointing to the centre of the city.  
It was right next to the walls of Central. The whole area looked like it was in flames, a single column of smoke rose from it, high into the sky above. Kate nodded gravely.  
'I wonder if Sayid's down there,' she said, looking at the maelstrom.  
'One week Freckles,' Sawyer said, pulling her close. 'There's a lot of Blades down there. I don't like this anymore than you do.'  
'I know,' Kate said simply.

They both moved closer to the window frame.  
'It looks so far away from up here,' Kate said.  
Sawyer looked at the flames briefly, before he turned his back on it and sat down on the window sill, concentrating on the sound of the river as it rushed past below.

'Are you hungry?' Kate asked.  
'No,' Sawyer said. 'Just tired.'  
'Come on,' Kate said, taking his hand.

They walked over to the bedding in the furthest corner of the room. Sawyer slumped down on it as Kate pulled across a makeshift curtain that hung from thin piece of rope that ran wall to wall. Sawyer pulled off his boots and took off his shirt. Kate followed suit, removing her boots and combats and throwing them over the curtain. Sawyer held out his hand, and when she took it, he pulled her down, rolling her across the bedding, and pulling the cover over her in one swift move. She smiled up at him, before moving herself up and resting on her elbow.

'We made it,' she said.  
'We made it this far,' Sawyer corrected.  
'There was a time I thought we wouldn't,' Kate said, ignoring him. 'We could have died out there. So many times.'  
Sawyer rolled over on to his back, lifting his tired arms above his head as Kate followed him instinctively, resting her head on his chest. He put one arm down, wrapping it around her and pressing her into his side, revelling in the feel of her body beside him. There were times when he thought they would die, though he would never admit it to her. There was a time when he thought he'd lost her for good, but here she was, nestled by his side, breathing softly, and growing stronger by the day.

'Guess we got lucky.'

They laid for a while in silence, both of them too exhausted to think, the distant sound of the river lulling them gently to sleep.  
'You ever think about what would happen if the walls came down Freckles,' Sawyer said absently, his eyes heavy.  
'What do you mean,' Kate asked sleepily.  
'What would you do next? What would we do?' he asked. He'd never known a life without fighting.

Kate moved closer, pressing her forehead against his side, her arm moving across his stomach.

'There's this house…' she said softly, after a long time. 'It's near the castle, further down the river. I don't know if you could even call it a house.'  
Sawyer looked down at her, her eyes closed as she spoke, her face relaxed, her curly hair tumbling all around them. He closed his eyes, as he listened to her talk, her melodious voice more of a lullaby than the flowing river below them.  
'I think a gardener would have once lived there,' she went on. 'Maybe he worked on the castle grounds. It's completely hidden from the main roads. You can't even see the front gate for all the brambles. I found it once, on a job in Central, by chance. This tiny cottage, made out of stone and covered in ivy. It looks like it was born from the earth.'

'I went inside once,' she said, her voice growing quieter as sleep began to take hold. 'It was like walking into another world. It was so quiet, and so peaceful. Dusty oak floor, rough stone walls. I always thought…' she stopped speaking, long enough that Sawyer nudged her slightly, suddenly desperate to hear the rest of her sentence.

'I always thought,' she repeated, her voice almost inaudible. 'If the walls ever came down, that's where I'd go.'

Sawyer opened his eyes, swallowing hard, his heart loud in his ears. It was a dream. Such a simple dream. One that he couldn't make happen. And as much as he trusted her and believed in her, he didn't think that she could make it happen either. From the moment they'd arrived, even before, Sawyer knew that they didn't have long. The city would self-destruct, tear itself apart, and they would be in the centre of it. He came here for her. It was the only reason he came back.

He watched her for a while as she slept, her face innocent, like an angel, and it wasn't long before he followed, the soft sound of her breathing lost on the wind that rushed around them.

**November 8 2032**

'Morning,' Kate said, feeling an unexpected rush of excitement when Sawyer appeared sleepily from behind the curtain. It felt so strange to see him in her apartment, like he wasn't real, but it was a good feeling.

He rubbed at his eyes and focused on her, and she couldn't help grinning. He looked so young, nothing like the hardened mercenary the Blades and the people of the slums were used to seeing.

'How'd you sleep?' Kate asked, grinning at him from the chair where she sat. She picked up the mug of tea she had made and took a sip.  
'Want some?' she asked, realising that he was staring at her. She looked down at herself. She was wearing a small bathrobe that she had stolen from Central a few months ago. Her legs were bare apart from a pair of thick socks. She'd been getting ready to get a bath, that had taken her over an hour to fill up using pots and her gas heater. She looked back up at Sawyer, raising her eyebrow at him. He grinned back at her, and shrugged unashamedly, taking the seat opposite her across the table.

She rose from the chair and went to the kitchen, taking out an empty mug from the cupboard. She walked back over to the table and poured out some dark liquid from the pot there into the cup and handed it to him.  
'No milk, no sugar,' she said apologetically.  
'Just the way I like it,' Sawyer said, bringing the cup to his lips.

She sat back down, and looked across to see Sawyer grinning at her.

'What?' she asked.  
'Nothing,' Sawyer said. 'Just… never seen this side of you before.'  
'What side?' Kate asked.  
Sawyer didn't reply, instead he looked around the room.  
'This place looks better at night,' he said dryly.

Kate's eyes followed his. The floor and furniture were covered in huge swathes of dust and cobwebs, and large stains of damp crept up the walls. Fine shards of glass lay where they had been shattered by the furthest window. Kate grinned. 'I like it.'  
He smiled back and took her hand, pulling her on to her feet and around the table, and down on to his lap. Kate laughed, struggling to get away.  
'Stop it Sawyer, I need to get a bath.'  
'A bath?' he asked incredulously. 'How you gonna do that?'  
She pointed towards the metal tub against the southern wall. 'Takes a while to fill,' she said. 'But I manage.'  
Sawyer looked up at her in surprise. 'Well don't let me stop you,' he said, letting her go.

She stood up and looked around awkwardly, suddenly feeling bashful. She looked at Sawyer whose grin widened when he caught on to how she was feeling. He stayed where he was, crossing his arms across his chest, waiting for her next move. She met his eyes, and saw the laughter there. With a rush of defiance, she stepped out of her underwear and shrugged off the robe. Sawyer's mouth dropped open, the smile vanished from his face, and she smiled victoriously.

He stood up, and took a few impulsive steps towards her, but she held up her hand, laughing.

'All I want to do is get a bath,' she said.  
Sawyer stopped in his tracks, her voice seeming to shake him out of his reverie, and smiled back at her. 'Be my guest,' he said, gesturing lazily across the room.

She laughed and gingerly walked over to the bath and stepped in. The water was uncomfortably hot, but she didn't care, she relished in it. She could feel the warmth slowly seeping into her bones, pushing out the cold that had settled there and bound her muscles tight. It was like she was floating in space, all her worries, all her tension, momentarily slipping away.

'You've got soap?'  
Sawyer's voice stirred her back to reality and she opened her eyes. He was holding up a slim bar in his hand and smiling at her.  
'Now how did you come across this? High-level job was it?'  
Kate laughed and reached forward to grab it, but he pulled it out of her reach, instead putting it in the water and working it into a lather. He brought his hands down to her legs and started gently soaping them, massaging as he went. She sighed deeply and settled back, enjoying the feeling for a moment before forcing her eyes back open.  
'Perks of the job,' she replied.  
'What else you got?' Sawyer asked, looking around the room before turning his attention to her other leg, running long strokes down her calves to her ankles.

Kate smiled. 'I'll give you the tour later,' she said sleepily. His hands moved further up her thighs and she bit her lip in anticipation. Her body felt as liquid as the water enveloping her. She felt so calm, so safe. She opened her eyes and saw Sawyer gazing at her softly. She sat up, and reached for him, and he brought his lips down to hers.

As she began to move away, he pulled her back to him.  
'Uh-uh Freckles,' he said, a wicked glint in his eyes. 'Bath time's over.'  
She laughed, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pulled her deftly out of the bath, the water dripping from her and soaking him through to the skin.

**November 10 2032**

'Son of a bitch,' Sawyer looked at the open cupboard in front of him, and then back to Kate, eyes wide.  
'Got enough guns in here Freckles?'

Kate laughed and peered round the cupboard door at her gun collection. She'd always been proud of it, and was glad to share it with him.

'You have a… crossbow?' Sawyer said in disbelief. He picked up the weapon and lifted it up on to his arm, peering through the sight. 'What you planning on doing with this?' he said, lifting it up and waving it at her.

Kate laughed again and absently picked up one of her handguns, opening and closing the chamber. 'Never know when it might come in use,' she said.  
'Now this,' Sawyer said grinning as he pulled out a shiny black RPG. 'Is a gun.'  
Kate watched him as he tested the weight and lifted it up on to his shoulder.'Careful with that,' she said. 'It's an antique.'  
'Does it work?'  
'Never tested it.'  
'You got grenades for this thing?'  
'Yep,' Kate said smiling, reaching for a box on the floor of the cupboard. She lifted up the lid, revealing two dusty grenades, each in their own compartment inside the crate.

Sawyer grinned and kissed her over the top of the ammo, before turning his attention back to the gun in his hand.

'You're a one-woman army, Freckles,' he said, aiming the gun at one of the windows, towards Central. 'You could take out a hundred men with what you've got in here.'  
'I know,' Kate said. 'And I guess that's exactly what we're going to do.'  
'Four more days, Freckles.' Sawyer said quietly. He lifted the RPG off his shoulder and put it back in the cupboard. 'Four more days.'

**November 11 2032**

Sawyer and Kate faced each other across the room, slowly circling around each other. Sawyer's body was poised, his breathing heavy, his hair damp with sweat. They had been sparring for the last hour. The rest they'd had in the last few days had done them both good, and they were growing stronger by the day. When Kate had suggested testing themselves, Sawyer had jumped at the chance of a workout.

She was good though, and the tussle had stretched him.

'What's the matter,' Kate said, grinning from the other side of the room. 'Had enough?'  
'I'm just getting started,' Sawyer replied, smiling back.

Kate nodded, and a split-second later, she was running at him. He tensed one side of his body, ready to deflect the blow, but at the last second, she leapt on to the table beside him and jumped behind him, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back.  
'Easy Freckles!' he protested as a shooting burst of pain ran up his arms.  
'Sorry,' she said, quickly letting go.

Sawyer took advantage and spun around, kicking her feet out from under her. He caught her before she hit the floor.  
'You cheated,' she said, between breaths.  
'It's called distraction,' Sawyer shot back.

Kate jumped up out of his arms and he sprang back to his feet, taking a defensive position, and they began circling again, watching each other closely for an attack.

'You get in a lot of fights?' Sawyer asked.  
'Not out of choice,' Kate replied. 'Never even killed a man til a month ago.'  
'Who?' Sawyer said, stopping in his tracks, the sparring forgotten.  
'The guards at the car park. With you. The night we blew up the weapons storage.'  
'Right,' Sawyer said, remembering. He hadn't given it a second thought. It hadn't felt like murder. Not like the murders he'd committed in his life anyway. Not up close and personal. The guards had felt more like… collateral damage.  
'You ok?' he asked, unsure of what to say.  
'Yeah I am,' Kate said evenly, meeting his gaze. 'Imagine if we hadn't done it. How much worse it would be right now for the slums.'

Sawyer nodded and they resumed their positions. Straight away Kate went on the attack, bounding forward and aiming a tensed arm at his stomach. He blocked her swiftly and grabbed her wrists, but she aimed a kick to his shin forcing him to let go and jump back.

'Always said you'd make a good Blade. Sure you won't change your mind?' Sawyer said, grinning.  
'I'm sure,' Kate said wryly. 'Anyway, your men would only slow me down.'  
Sawyer nodded, as he moved in for another attack. 'I don't doubt that for a second Freckles.'

**November 13 2032**

'What do you think the plan is?'

Kate and Sawyer sat together on the windowsill, her back resting against his chest as they looked out at the city. It was raining heavily and bitterly cold. Sawyer shivered slightly and crossed his arms around the front of her, pulling her closer.  
'My guess is Sayid's gonna want me to finish the job he's paying me for.'  
'You mean Ben.'  
'Don't know how you fit into it Freckles,' Sawyer said. 'But I ain't gonna be far behind, I guarantee you that.'  
'I can look after myself Sawyer.'  
'I know you can,' he said.

Tomorrow they would be leaving the cocoon of safety they had created around themselves. There would be no looking back after that. Sawyer shuddered and pressed his lips to Kate's neck. He couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was coming. It had been growing inside him from the moment they had decided to come back to the city, and now it was gnawing at him constantly. He just wanted to leave, to take Kate and run, because he didn't care what happened to him, or to the slums, or to Ben Linus. All he cared about was Kate. She was all he had ever cared about.

'I don't want to lose you,' he said, his words honest and raw. He felt her tremble in his arms and he pulled her in tighter, resting his chin on her shoulder. They sat together in silence, the war below them raging on.

'You're not going to lose me Sawyer,' she whispered, her words, her promise, almost lost on the rain.


	21. November 14

Sorry this took so long, and thanks for the push** Boo**! I'm going to upload the rest of this before Lost comes back, so watch out for speedy updates.

**November 14 2032 **

John Locke had always considered himself a lucky man. He'd stared his own mortality in the face more times than he cared to count. But he'd always escaped it, somehow. A slip in concentration or an unexpected intervention… or just blind luck. He wasn't a religious man, but he fully believed that there was a plan to his life, a destiny and destination. It might not be glorious, or the stuff of legends, but he was confident in his place. He knew where he fit in, and he had made the most of what was given to him.

But today he was uneasy. He couldn't sit still. He paced around the small room in the basement of his south-side hideout, muttering under his breath, casting dark looks at the clock on the wall. The ancient, rusted hands of the clock ticked loudly, a steady beat. It was as loud as an orchestra of drummers in his ears. It was half-seven. Kate, Sayid and Sawyer would be arriving in half an hour. Maybe then he would be able to relax.

Locke had kept his ear close to the ground this past week. Though he had been forced into hiding, he had plenty of sources in the slums, and a steady stream of news kept him informed. The entire slums were on fire with the news of Kate and Sawyer's return, and while that gave Locke hope that it would reinvigorate the hopeless masses, it also sent shivers of dread through him. It was only a matter of time before Ben Linus found out they were back.

He walked over to the desk and spread out his map of London, trying to distract himself until they arrived. As he reached for his cup of cold coffee, he heard a noise, a soft thud, from the floor above. He froze, ears and eyes sharpening, straining to hear another sound.

And then his heart began to race, because what followed were footsteps. Soft footsteps, casually padding across the floor.

He closed his eyes and breathed out heavily, trying to force his mind to think. He didn't have a gun, though he did have a small knife in the drawer of his desk. The basement had no windows to escape from. The only way out was up. He opened the drawer and took out the knife, testing its sharpness with the tip of his finger. He held it in his hand, out of sight, underneath the desk, and calmly waited for whatever was coming.

He heard the cellar door creak and lifted his head, plastering his face with his most serene expression. Whoever was about to come down the stairs would not get the satisfaction of fear, because he wasn't afraid. If it was part of a fated plan, then John Locke would play his part.

The door closed and Locke instantly felt the presence of another person in the room, though he still couldn't see them. And then a pair of black-clad legs appeared, descending the stairs, and a flash of blonde hair, and then she stood in front of him, a smile on her face that matched his perfectly.

'Hello John,' she said.  
'Hello.' Locke replied simply.  
'Do you know who I am?' she asked, raising a thin eyebrow.  
'No,' John said. 'But I know why you've come.'

The woman walked across the room, stopping at a wicker chair that leant against the wall.  
'May I?' she asked, gesturing towards the seat.  
'Please,' John said, nodding at her.  
He slid the knife under his leg and placed his hands on the desk, crossing them and leaning back slightly.

He'd never seen her face before, and John made it his business to know exactly who his enemies were. She was attractive, but her blue eyes were empty, as if all emotion had been ripped from her.  
'What's your name?' he ventured, amiably.  
'Does it matter?' She replied, her voice soft, but edged with steel.  
'If you're here to kill me, the least you could do is tell me you're name.'  
She laughed humourlessly and leaned forward in his chair, the soft light of the lamp in the corner of the room dancing golden in her hair. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Locke, but he remained a mask under her gaze. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.  
'Penelope,' she offered with a disinterested shrug.  
'Hello Penelope,' John said.

His smile widened against his will, he was almost enjoying this. She was new to him, a new challenge.  
'You work for Ben,' he stated.  
'I work for myself,' she snapped.  
'But you're working for him now,' Locke said.  
'He's the one paying me,' she replied.

Locke smiled and nodded, he'd known it from the moment she walked into his house. He heard the clock ticking, louder than ever, and he glanced up at it.

Seven-forty-five.

'You killed Hugo Reyes,' Locke said, frowning. 'He wasn't your enemy. He was no one's enemy.'  
Penelope shrugged, her eyes cold. 'He was on my list.'  
'There are more on your list,' Locke said. 'I've seen it. Who's next Penelope?'  
'John,' she said, her eyes flashing. 'You won't be leaving this room. Not ever. You won't see this night turn to day, because in one minute, I'm going to kill you, and that will be that. It's irrelevant who's next.'  
'Humour me,' John said. 'Dying man's wish.'  
He glanced up at the clock again, and his assassin laughed, more genuine this time.  
'Are you expecting someone, John Locke?' she said, enunciating his name as if it were a joke.  
'Who's next?' John said, his voice stern now.

She stopped laughing, the smile disappearing from her face.  
'The Blade,' she replied.  
'Sawyer?' Locke said, affecting surprise. 'But he disappeared weeks ago.'  
'But you and I both know he's back, don't we?' she said, the smile returning.

Locke's heart sank. If she knew, Ben knew, and if Ben knew, the slums were about to be torn into pieces. He thought of Kate, his Kate that he thought of as a daughter, brimming over with unlived life and restraint. He wouldn't get to say goodbye. He looked up at the clock.

Seven-fifty.

She wouldn't be early, she wouldn't be late, she'd be exactly on time. His only hope was Sayid.

'What will you do with Kate?' Locke asked quietly.  
'Austin? I won't have to do anything. She'll come quietly. No need to worry. I'm sure Linus will take good care of her.'  
Locke frowned, hating the feeling of being in the dark, of not knowing the plan.

Penelope stood up, and reached behind her, pulling out a shiny black revolver.  
'It's time John,' she said.  
'Wait,' he said, suddenly full of urgency. He thought when this moment came, he would be at peace, that he would be ready. But he wasn't ready, he didn't want to die. Not at the hands of this woman, in a damp cellar underneath the slums of London. He wasn't ready.

Seven-fifty-five.

'I can match it. Whatever he's paying you. I'll give you double.''Is this how you want it to end John?' she said, her voice almost curious. 'The life you've lived? Begging for what's left of it?'

She raised the gun and narrowed her eyes and squeezed her finger on the trigger.  
'No…' John managed, before she fired, and he fell forward, the last sound he heard on earth the ripping thunder of a gunshot, the last sight he saw, a blood-red canvas.

Penelope Widmore looked at the body, as if contemplating it with her cold blue eyes. Nothing registered for her. Nothing changed. She turned on her heel and left the room, satisfied with her latest hit.

______________________________

'It's just around the next street,' Kate snapped impatiently. 'Quit your moaning.'  
'We've been walking for hours,' Sawyer said, ignoring her tone. 'You could have told me. And it's freezing out here.'

Kate rolled her eyes, pulling her jacket closer around her body. Sawyer had been in a foul mood since the moment he'd woken up. At first she'd been patient, but it was wearing thin. She stopped herself from saying more, not wanting to start an argument before they arrived, and besides, she was excited, and she wasn't going to let Sawyer ruin her mood.

It was the first time she'd been outside in a week and the sense of freedom was exhilarating. They hadn't gone anywhere near the slums, circling round through the quiet wastelands to get south to John's hideout. But just to be near them again made her smile. She was glad to have a purpose. In a couple of hours, she would know exactly what the plan was, and exactly what she would be doing to help. She felt hopeful, and excited, and she quickened her steps.

They turned on to a quiet street of terraced brick houses. Some of the buildings in the rows had long crumbled, leaving unnatural gaping holes and tumbling piles of rock and debris on to the roads. Not one window in any of the houses were intact, not one shone any light. It was a ghost town. But Kate knew exactly where John's hideout was. She'd been there once before, years ago when she was a teenager.

Suddenly she saw a figure come into view and she froze. They were far out from the slums. No one should be here but them. The figure drew closer and Kate reached for her gun.  
'Sawyer.' she warned, but he was already reaching for the shotgun from the strap on his back.  
'I'm all over it Freckles,' he said, raising the gun.  
'Wait,' Kate said, as the figure came into view. 'It's Sayid!' she said excitedly, breaking away from Sawyer and jogging towards the other man, ignoring Sawyer's grumbling.

Sayid grinned when he saw her and stopped in his tracks. When she reached him he pulled her into a hug, laughing softly. He pulled back and they looked at each other for a moment, as if confirming the other alive. Kate didn't realise how much she'd missed her old friend, but she was so glad to see him now.  
'You're alive.' Sayid said, taking her hand. 'I was so sure you were gone.'  
'Not yet,' Kate smiled, almost sadly.  
'No. Not yet.'

Kate felt Sawyer come up beside her and she turned to him, half expecting him to throw an insult Sayid's way, but instead he offered his hand. Sayid took it without hesitation and shook it, smiling up at him.  
'Sawyer,' he said. 'I am glad you are safe. You're men have been most helpful to our cause.'  
'Glad to be of service,' Sawyer said. Kate smiled up at him, feeling a rush of irrational pride.

'Shall we?' Sawyer continued. 'It's not getting any warmer out here.'  
Kate and Sayid nodded and they walked the last few steps towards the hideout.

As soon as they approached the gate, Kate felt a sudden dread wash over her, making her hairs stand on end, a creeping sensation slithering up her spine, she couldn't explain it.

'You see that?' Sawyer whispered. She turned to face him. 'The door,' he said, gesturing towards the front door of the hideout. 'It's open.'

Kate squinted in the darkness, her heart thudding loudly when she realised he was right. The scarred, dull green door was slightly open, revealing nothing but darkness behind it.

At the same moment, all three readied their weapons and jumped into action, Kate and Sayid leapt to either side of the door frame and Sawyer approached the centre of it. He kicked it open and ran inside, pressing himself against the inner wall. Kate and Sayid quickly followed, guns pointing rapidly around the dark room, searching blindly for a target.

Kate closed her eyes and listened intently. There was no sound, just deafening silence. Together, the three of them worked their way to the basement door.  
'I'll go first,' Sawyer said. 'Wait here.'  
'You're kidding right?' Kate said. 'I'm coming with you.'  
Sawyer sighed, but Kate ignored him, pushing past him to open the door. It was dark in the basement, no light at all. Either John wasn't in, or worse. She tried to tell herself that she'd gotten the wrong time, the wrong night, that he had had to get out to another hide out. But her heart already knew.

She descended the stairs slowly, not daring to look anywhere but straight ahead. She felt Sawyer close behind her, but even his presence couldn't shake the fear that was taking hold of her.

When she reached the bottom she waited for Sawyer and Sayid to catch up. Sayid went to the corner and struck a match, lighting the oil lamp in the corner. Kate was momentarily blinded by the sudden light, and her eyes strained to adjust, her heart in her mouth at what she would see when her vision cleared.

But when she saw it, she didn't feel what she had expected to feel. No gasp of shock, no tears, no nothing. Just an emptiness.

She looked at the body of her friend, facedown in a pool of his own blood, a hideous red hole in the centre of his forehead.

It was like she was looking at a picture, or as if she was living in a dream, because it couldn't be happening. She shook her head. It couldn't be happening.

She felt Sawyers arms around her, but she shrugged him off and took a few steps closer to Locke's body.

'Kate.' Sawyer said. 'Don't'

But she couldn't hear him. She couldn't hear anything but her own thoughts, crashing on top of each other. She was too late. John Locke. He couldn't be gone. Her friend. Her oldest friend. He couldn't be gone.

'I was too late,' she whispered under her breath. She looked around the room, a feeling of panic spreading through her. Her eyes darted left and right, desperate to find some thing to hold on to, dry land.

'I was too late,' she said, before she ran in to the corner, and was sick to her stomach.


	22. November 15

If this is the first chapter you've read in a while, go back one!

**November 15 2032**

'You have to eat something Kate.'

Kate didn't reply. She didn't even move a muscle.

Ever since they'd left Locke's place, it was like she had frozen in her horror and grief. She didn't look at him, she didn't seem to look at anything. She just stared vacantly behind cold green eyes.

Her pale skin was almost grey, and she had dark circles under her eyes from a long and sleepless night. She was starting to scare him, and Sawyer wasn't ashamed to admit it. He wanted to make it better, to say the right words to bring her back to him, but nothing he said was of any use. His words sounded so weak and trite, so instead he just waited for her to talk to him.

'Kate?' he repeated. Louder this time. He could handle her silence, but he wasn't going to let her starve herself.  
'I'm not hungry,' she said, her words almost inaudible, her eyes never once leaving the centre of the city from her vantage point on the window sill.

It was freezing. The sun had long gone down, and an ice-cold rain fell outside. Sawyer rubbed his hands together and got up from his seat by the table and walked over to the kitchen, pulling open a cupboard.  
'Gotta be something in here that's edible,' he muttered, as he poked around the shelves.  
'I said I'm not hungry,' Kate called, her voice edged with irritation. Sawyer smiled to himself. It was the first sign of emotion she'd shown since the night before, since they had found Locke.

'I heard what you said Kate,' he shot back, pulling out a rusted, unlabelled tin. He shook it in his hand and heard liquid sloshing inside. 'How do you know what's in these?' he said.  
She didn't reply, he turned to look at her and bit his lip. She looked so tiny, her knees brought up to her chest, her arms wrapped around herself. Like she was the homeless teenager she'd once been again. The sight of her almost broke his heart.  
'Lucky dip, right?' he went on, his throat tight, hoping his voice sounded light.

'Why do you keep calling me Kate?' she said. He looked back at her and instantly recognised the way she was looking at him. It was like in the early days, before everything changed between them. She would pull down a shield, he could see it now, the cold steel curtain. As if he was the enemy. He frowned at her, starting to lose patience.

She stood up from the sill and walked over to him, arms crossed against her chest.  
'I didn't realise I was,' he said.  
'Why are you acting like nothing's changed?' she said, her voice rising.  
Sawyer sighed and put down the tin and took a step closer to her, but she moved back. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling awkward and looked down at her shrugging heavily. He was completely at a loss to what to say to her. As they held each others gaze, he saw the shield fall slightly, and she seemed to shrink before his eyes. He wanted to take her into his arms, but knew she would push him away.

'I'm going for a walk,' she said quietly, moving to get her jacket from the back of the chair.  
'Uh-uh Freckles,' he said, feeling a panic rising in his stomach. 'Not a chance.'  
He moved in front of her, blocking her way.'You telling me what to do now?' she spat.  
'This time? Yeah,' Sawyer said, his voice louder. 'That's the craziest thing I ever heard.'  
'I can look after myself Sawyer,' she said, moving her arm around him and grabbing the coat.  
'I'll come with you,' he said, moving over to the bed to get his boots.  
'I want to be alone,' Kate said.  
'I won't say a word,' he said trying to make light of the situation, knowing it was spinning out of his control. 'I'll even walk behind you if you want,' he laughed.  
'Don't you get it?' Kate said suddenly, her voice as cold as ice. 'I don't want you here Sawyer. I don't want anything from you. Except for you to leave me alone.'

She pulled on her coat and walked over to the door, gripping the handle. She turned around slightly, her beautiful and heartbroken face a ghost in the darkness. 'Please don't be here when I get back.'  
She didn't even look at him before she left, closing the door with a thud behind her.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Kate walked through the streets of London, tears streaming down her face, not knowing where she was going, just walking. She had to get out, had to break free.

In the distance, she heard the cracking of gunfire, and she started to walk towards it. She could see flames, about half a mile away, rising high into the sky. She could smell cordite in the air, she could smell blood and death.

She felt like she was losing all hope. The only tiny glimmer she had left, she had walked out on. She wanted to run back to him. The thought of Sawyer not being there when she got back terrified her, but she couldn't stop yet. She had to keep walking.

She couldn't shake the image of Locke from her mind. And she couldn't stop thinking it was all her fault. Everything she saw around her was her fault. The flames and the fighting and the people that had died. She thought back to the time when she was going to turn herself in. The night she'd broken into Sawyer's bedroom in the townhouse. It seemed like such a long time ago, another life entirely. If she hadn't listened to Sawyer, if she had done what was right and turned herself in, none of this would be happening.

So much destruction, and she was the cause of it, and Locke was the latest in a long line to pay the price. He'd been there for her for so long, a silent ally in a world of uncertainty. John had always been steady as a rock, he'd always had all the answers. He'd been looking after the slums for so long, and half of the people there didn't even know it. And now that he was gone, Kate was lost. She didn't know what he had in mind when he called them together that night, they'd never know. Sayid had taken some papers and maps from John's desk, and then he and Sawyer had taken care of the body.

She sighed heavily and turned a corner, but when she looked up, she stopped in her tracks. She was at the end of a long road of ripped concrete, dilapidated houses either side, stretching far into the distance, disappearing into a glowing orange and grey ball of fire and destruction on the horizon. In the middle of the road, standing not far from Kate, stood a woman, her long blonde hair caught by the cold wind and flying around her face. They were dressed exactly the same, Kate thought in the distant recesses of her numbed mind. From the close-fitted black hooded top and jeans, to the heavy black boots. There was something so _familiar_ about her.

Kate took a few steps closer, the sound of her footsteps bouncing loudly off the terraced houses on either side of the road. She stopped in front of the other woman who looked back at her, smiling sadly.  
'Are you ok?' Kate asked, frowning.  
The woman nodded. 'You're not though, are you?' she said, inclining her head, her blue eyes soft and full of concern, her voice clear and warm. 'You've lost someone close to you.'  
'How… how did you know that?' Kate said, looking at her suspiciously. The woman shrugged slightly and turned her head slightly towards the fires in the distance.  
'Haven't we all?'  
Kate nodded, looking darkly towards the centre of the city. She shuddered inwardly and began walking again. 'You shouldn't be out here this late at night,' Kate said over her shoulder. 'It's not safe.'  
She turned away, heading towards the flames.

'His last words were of you,' the woman shouted from where she still stood in the middle of the road. Kate froze, stopping dead in her tracks. She waited a moment, taking a deep breath before she turned around. 'What did you say?' Kate said, her eyes narrowing, her tone lethal.  
'Locke,' the woman said simply. 'The last words he spoke. They were of you. I thought you might like to know.'

And Kate needed no other explanation. It all fell into place in less than a second. Locke, Hurley, the list, the Alpert mansion...

In a flash she reached down for the knife in the strap of her boot and pulled it out. She began walking towards the woman, her face, her body, her mind, as calm as a still lake.  
'You killed him. You killed Locke.' she said as she made her approach.  
'You should stop Kate,' the blonde woman said. 'You don't want to fight me.'  
'Is that right?' Kate said, jogging the last few steps and swinging the knife back in an arc. The woman jumped back, reaching behind her and pulling out a huge hunting knife from a sheathe in her belt. Kate faltered slightly as she saw the glinting steel and the serrated edge of the weapon, but she wasn't going to back down.

The image of Locke flashed before her eyes and she jumped forward, slashing through the air, aiming for the other woman's stomach, but she was too quick, and backed out of reach. Catching Kate off balance, the woman sliced the knife towards her. Kate tried to move out of the way, but she wasn't fast enough, and although the blade missed her chest, she felt a red-hot ripping on the side of her waist and shouted out in pain, staggering to back away as she clutched at her side.

The woman smiled at her, but didn't advance, waiting until Kate stood up. Kate looked at her wound. It was bleeding, but she knew it wasn't life-threatening. Trying to force her mind to suppress the pain, she controlled her breathing, inhaling deeply and raggedly.  
'I'm Penny, by the way. It's nice to finally meet you Kate.'  
'Penny?' The name rang like an alarm bell in Kate's head, muffled underneath the waves of pain from her bleeding waist. Confusion washed over her, but she didn't have time to think about it, because Penny was advancing, the blade in her hand now stained with Kate's blood. Kate raised her knife shakily, one arm still clutching her side, but the other woman moved swiftly, kicking the blade from Kate's hand in a split-second. Kate watched as it rattled across the street and she turned back to Penny, defenceless but defiant.

A burning ball of rage rose in her stomach and she ran, launching herself at the other woman and knocking her backwards to the ground. Penny landed hard, the knife falling from her hand. She stretched her arm out to grab it, her fingertips straining to grab the handle, but Kate jumped on top of her before she could reach it. Kate pulled her fist back, drawing all the strength her tired body would allow, and smashed it into the woman's face.

But then Penny shot her hands up, grabbing Kate around the throat and squeezing tight. Kate was forced to let go. She ripped Penelope's hands from her throat and fell back on her haunches, gasping for air.

Penny jumped up, hardly out of breath and grabbed her knife. She ran over to Kate, grabbing her hair and violently snapping her head back, exposing her neck.

Kate felt the cold metal on her throat, the sharp points pressing into her skin, and she closed her eyes.

'So this is where you make a decision,' Penny said, her cold voice breaking the dead silence of the streets around them, her tone as reasonable as if they were making a deal in an office. 'You're going to end all this right now. You're going to come with me, and I'm going to take you to Ben Linus. And then all this…' she said, gesturing around with her free hands. 'Is safe. No more fighting. The Central guards retreat, and everyone's happy.'  
'And if I don't…' Kate choked out, gasping for air, feeling one of the points of the serrated edged knife pierce through her skin.

Penny let go of her hair and stepped around to the front of her. Kate fell forward, rubbing her throat, breathing in deeply, before she raised her head, and looked up at the other woman. She was as calm as she had always been, as if nothing had changed.

She crouched down so she was level with Kate and looked her squarely in the eye, her amusement gone, replaced with something that could almost be taken for sincerity.  
'Sawyer's next, Kate. Then Sayid. You can stop that happening.'

Kate fell back and sat on the filthy ground, all defences dropped, her shoulders sagging defeatedly.

'Do you have any idea what it would be like to lose the man you love?' Penny went felt on.  
Kate felt her throat tighten and tears sprang to her eyes. It would break her.  
'How do I know I can trust you. That you'll leave him alone?' Kate said, almost a whisper.  
'You don't,' Penny said.

Kate turned back, facing the direction of her hideout by the docks. He'd never forgive her. He'd never understand. But she was so utterly tired. She just couldn't fight anymore. She wiped the tears from her face and turned to Penny resolutely.

'OK,' she said quietly.  
Penny raised an eyebrow.  
'I'll come with you.'  
Penny smiled and nodded. 'You've made the right choice Kate. You're lucky you had one.'


	23. November 16

**Many thanks Angelfan!**

**November 16 2032**

Sawyer swore under his breath as he looked out of the window for what felt like the thousandth time in the last few hours. He rested his hands on the sill and looked out, scanning the shadowy streets below. The first rays of light from the early morning sun were breaking through the heavy grey clouds and a thick fog had settled on the river. It was creeping towards the banks, it's ghostly fingers stretching out towards the ancient, crumbling city beyond.

There was no sign of her. It had been at least four hours, and in that time Sawyer had tortured himself thinking about what had happened to Kate. He cursed himself again for not following her. The state she was in, anything could have happened.

But he'd wanted to give her the space she needed. Sawyer knew what Locke had meant to her. She'd never said too much about him. She didn't have to. Sawyer could read her like a book. To her, losing Locke was like losing a father.

Sawyer slumped on the sill and pushed his hands violently through his hair and gripped his head. He'd let her down when she needed him most. He always knew this moment would come. That when he was tested he would fail. He would fail her.

He sat straighter and looked over his shoulder darkly at the city. She was out there. Somewhere in the sprawling metropolis, Kate was alone. He stood up and walked over to the kitchen table, grabbing the pistol there and stuffing it into his belt. He walked over to Kate's weapons cabinet and pulled open the door, reaching in for the assault rifle. He slung it over his shoulders and slammed the doors shut, taking long, purposeful strides as he headed over to the front door.

He took one last glance around at Kate's flat, so still and quiet in the grey and golden dawn. It was so much a part of her, he didn't want to leave. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had already lost her, he was already too late. He took a deep breath and forced himself to turn away and leave.

When he got down to street-level Sawyer stopped. He didn't have a clue where to start looking for her. He heart the faint, hollow sound of gunfire cracking through the air, and he made his choice. He set off, walking determinedly towards the gates of Central. She was angry, and she wasn't thinking straight, and she needed someone to blame, and the frontlines seemed a good a place as any to start.

If he was lucky, he'd find Kate, and at worst, he might at least be able to find Sayid and see if he knew anything.

He walked through the narrow terraces of the boarded up and derelict outer-slums, his footsteps loud in his ears in the quiet of the morning. He picked up his pace, impatient to see her again, and reassure himself that she was ok.

He rounded a corner that let to a main road. A few people were scattered around, heads bowed, going about their business hurriedly, always on alert. A few of them caught his eye as he walked past, offering him hopeful and conspiratorial smiles. He scowled at each of them as he rushed through the streets.

He stopped when he heard the sound of gunfire again. It was erratic, and sporadic. As if the fighting had died down, but it was louder now. He realised it was coming from the main gates, where his now-demolished townhouse used to be.

Sawyer ran the last mile until he got to the far end of the road that he used to know so well. Looking at it now, he could hardly recognise it.

The skyline had changed completely. It wasn't just his house, but all the buildings around it, all turned to bricks, dust and ash. The huge gates that led to Central had been barricaded by shelled out cars, broken furniture, twisted girders and anything else that the fighters could get their hands on. At the end of each street that connected to the main road were barriers made of sandbags and barbed wire, and Sawyer could see crowds of soldiers from the slums huddled behind each.

He squinted at the city centre behind the walls looking for Central snipers and ducked as he ran over to the imposing wall. Sawyer strafed across the length of it, stopping when he arrived at the first sandbag junction. He ran towards it and vaulted over the makeshift wall, rolling on to the ground, keeping low. Five startled men span around to face him, wide-eyed.

Sawyer lifted his palms up in a gesture of peace and saw the face of one of the soldiers change as he recognised him.

'You're Sawyer, right?' he hissed, his young face covered in black ash. Sawyer nodded and caught his breath.  
'I'm looking for Kate Austin. Or Sayid. Know where I can find them?' Sawyer asked, wasting no time as he brought himself up and rested on one knee. He glanced up at the walls and the spires of Central ahead of him, his body primed and tense with adrenaline.

The young man nodded. 'Sayid's manning the next barricade over, he hasn't left his position for the last twenty-four hours,' he said.

A shot rang out and Sawyer ducked down, reaching for the rifle on his shoulders as the men around him did the same. He crawled over to the sand bag and rested his gun on it, peering through the sight. He scanned the horizon, and saw a dark figure on top of one of the rooftops in Central. Before he could squeeze the trigger, he heard a loud bang come from further down the street, and he saw the man falling, the final landing hidden from sight behind the great wall and buildings beyond. Sawyer lowered his rifle and got to his feet, not uttering another word to the men as he leapt over the sandbags and ran to the next barricade.

He jumped over it and landed hard on the other side, but stayed on his feet this time. He lifted his head and saw Sayid instantly. The other man regarded him with mild surprise.  
'Sawyer?' he said. 'What are you doing here? Where's Kate?'  
'I was about to ask you the same question,' Sawyer said, his heart sinking. The two men looked at each other, understanding passing between them. Sayid took a few steps forward and put a hand on Sawyer's shoulder, turning him away and walking them further down the street and out of earshot of his men.

They stopped against the remains of Sawyer's local bar, and he leaned against it heavily.  
'What happened?' Sayid asked urgently as he looked up at shook his head.  
'I don't know what happened. She left. Said she wanted to be alone.'  
'And you let her go?'  
'What was I supposed to do?' Sawyer growled. 'Chain her to the kitchen table?'  
He started pacing, his hands holding his head. 'Where the hell is she?' he muttered under his breath.

'What do you want me to do?' Sayid said, straightening and looking Sawyer hard in the eyes. Sawyer stopped pacing and walked over to the other man. He was just about to speak when the piercing sound of a siren cut through the air around them. As suddenly as it came on, it ceased and the sound of crackling filled the air. Sawyer froze as a voice started speaking. The tinny and thin voice sounded like it was coming from all around them. He recognised it instantly.

'This is Ben Linus ordering all Central guards to retreat and return immediately. I repeat. This is Ben Linus ordering all Central guards to retreat and return immediately.'

The refrain carried on, obviously a recorded message, over and over again. Sawyer and Sayid looked at each other in shock. And then the realisation hit Sawyer like a punch in the stomach.

'They've got her.' His words came out thick and choked, his heart hammering in his chest. He looked at Sayid, his eyes darting desperately. 'They've got her,' he repeated.  
'Sawyer. Wait,' Sayid said. 'Do not jump to conclusions. We don't know anything yet.'

Sawyer grabbed Sayid by his collar and threw him against the wall, suddenly so full of rage he could barely speak.

'Don't you get it? Don't you understand what she's done?' He threw Sayid off violently, brought his arm back and punched the remains of the bar door beside him, the already broken wood splintering into tiny pieces beneath his fist.

Sayid got to his feet, walking a few steps, but not leaving Sawyer alone. Sawyer looked at his bloodied knuckles, the rage inside him suddenly turning to ice cold fear.

'I've got to go after her,' he said, more to himself than Sayid. He turned away, his shoulders sagging, his mind racing.  
'You can not just walk in there. You'll get yourself killed.'  
'You got a better plan?' Sawyer raged.  
'At least wait until nightfall,' Sayid implored.  
'I ain't waiting another second,' Sawyer spat, his eyes narrow.

The two men stared at each other, their desperation and frustration palpable. A small audience by the barricades were now watching the exchange intently. But neither noticed. Finally Sayid's face softened and he looked away, sighing heavily.  
'OK,' he said, his voice tired. 'I'll come with you. Give me a moment to speak to my men.'  
'No.' Sawyer said.  
'No?' Sayid replied incredulously.  
'I need you to find out what's going on. You must know some of Locke's contacts. Find out where she is, where they are keeping her.'  
'That could take some time,' Sayid said.  
'That's why I have to go now.'

Sayid nodded, his brown eyes full of understanding.  
'Meet me tomorrow morning, same place as before, by the warehouse on the docks.'  
Sawyer nodded.  
'If you are not there…' Sayid stopped and shook his head, not finishing his sentence.  
It had all gone so wrong in so little time. They had lost Locke, now Kate. Sawyer met Sayid's eyes, saw the tiredness there. He recognised it, because he felt it too. But he couldn't stop. He wouldn't stop until Kate was back by his side.  
'I'll be there Ali,' he said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.  
'And Kate will be with me.'  
Sayid shot him a quick smile and turned away, walking towards the men that still looked their way. Sawyer watched them for a moment, before he turned and headed towards the sewers, retracing the steps that he and Kate had taken, months before, that led to the heart of Central.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The muted winter sun was high in the sky when Sawyer finally pushed through the manhole in the centre of Hyde park. It was deathly quiet. It always was in Central. So few people lived in the huge expanse. But Sawyer wasn't taking any chances.

He quickly pulled the cover back over and rushed to the relative cover of the nearest oak tree. Quickly scanning his surroundings he ran from tree to tree until he got to the road. Then he ducked into an alley and gave himself a minute to think.

He didn't have a clue where to start looking for her. Usually prisoners were kept at the Tower, like he had been, but it seemed too obvious for Linus. Still, Sawyer had no other leads, so he made his way quickly through the streets until he reached the river and the huge castle that sat beside it.

From his vantage point behind a shelled out car, Sawyer could see at least four Central guards patrolling the grounds. Not enough for someone as high profile as Kate, he thought. Still, he had to know. Had to make sure he left no stone unturned. He took the rifle off his shoulder and checked the chamber. Keeping low to the ground, he ran for the cover of a line of trees, closer to the tower. As he drew closer to the trees he heard the faint sound of conversation. He leapt into the shade of an oak tree and waited, completely still, for the two guards to walk past.

'So you going to the party tonight?'  
As they drew closer Sawyer held his breath.  
'Sure am,' came the reply. 'Free booze, free food and easy women? Try and stop me.'  
'Yep,' the other man agreed. 'The boss is in a good mood today. Gotta make the most of it while it lasts.'  
'Think I'd be in a good mood too if I just got the prize he did.'  
The blood in Sawyer's body ran cold, and he had to fight the urge to jump from his hideout and throttle him.  
'She's a prize alright,' one of the men snarled. 'Prettiest thing I ever saw.'

The two of them turned on their patrol and began walking the other way. Sawyer slowly rose from his hiding place, watching their retreating figures, his breathing heavy. He knew what he had to do. His heart racing he jogged silently up behind the two men, and without waiting another second, he grabbed the back of one of the guards heads and twisted it violently. He heard a loud pop as the man's neck broke in his hands, and then he let go, leaving him to fall to the ground without so much as a whimper. The other guard looked at him, his face registering nothing but shock.

'Not one word,' Sawyer ordered as he gestured the man towards the line of trees with his rifle. The guard lifted his hands over his head, his face white and his mouth open. As he walked, Sawyer could see the man's hands shaking with fear, and it bolstered him.

When they were under the canopy of the trees, Sawyer grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and threw him roughly against a huge oak, thrusting the rifle into his gut.

'Where is she?' Sawyer growled, his finger squeezing on the trigger.  
'What…? What..?' the terrified guard spluttered, his pale blue eyes darting left and right, seeking escape, seeking rescue.  
'Kate Austin you son-of-a-bitch. Where the hell is she?'  
'I don't know,' the guard gasped. 'I swear I don't know.'  
'Listen boy and listen good,' Sawyer said, his eyes flashing dangerously. 'You got ten seconds. Ten seconds and then I'm going to kill you, unless you _tell me_ where Linus is keeping her…. Ten..'  
The man looked at him, opening his mouth and closing it again in terror.  
'Nine,' Sawyer went on. 'Eight…seven…'  
'Please,' the man begged. 'I have a wife,'  
'Five… four,' Sawyer pushed the rifle hard into the man's soft gut.  
'I'll do anything. Please don't kill me. Please..'  
'Three... two, better say you're prayers boy.'  
The guard squeezed his eyes shut and raised his face to the heavens, his whole body trembling.

Sawyer pulled the trigger. The loud and solitary bang startled a flock of birds from the small copse of trees and sent them hurtling towards the sky. Sawyer felt a hot spray of blood splatter across his chest and then the dead man slumped to the ground.

Sawyer observed his body remotely, and cast his eyes up to see the man whose neck he'd broken, his corpse in the middle of the Tower green, for all to see. He left it there. He wanted them to know that he was coming.

He turned away and ran through the small copse of trees and when they ended, Sawyer found himself in a small, secluded green, surrounded by sheets of ivy and thick oak trees, and in the centre of it, he saw what looked like a crumbling old cottage, made of rough grey stone, covered in moss and ivy. And he knew. He knew instantly where he was.

This was the place. This was the cottage Kate had spoken of the night they first arrived back in London. This was Kate's dream.

He took a few, disbelieving steps closer to the front gate. It was small and wooden, only just reaching his waist. It was covered in decades of moss, ivy and cobwebs. Sawyer pulled at the old rusted gate latch and pushed it open, it's squeaking protest ringing loud in his ears. He stepped through, closing the gate behind him.

It was like something out of the pages of a fairytale. Thick green and red ivy crawled up the walls, covering the small latticed windows completely, climbing towards the thick, patchy thatch that settled on the roof. The faded green door was rotten, but it still clung to its hinges.

Sawyer walked forward and grasped the handle, twisting it as he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

He found himself in a small kitchen made of stone and wood. A huge table sat in the middle, surrounded by six, plain wooden chairs.  
_'It was like walking into another world.'  
_Sawyer heard her voice, a soft, sleepy lullaby, as she spoke to him about this place the night they arrived back in the city.  
_'It was so quiet, so peaceful.'  
_Sawyer exhaled shakily as he walked further in, taking one of the chairs and slumping down into it, his head in his hands.

This was his fault, this was all his fault. If he had only gone after her. If he'd stopped her and told her how much he loved her, how much he needed her by his side. If he had found the right words to make her stay.

He missed her. So much he could hardly breath.

Sawyer lifted his head and stood up suddenly. He brought up the rifle, now covered in blood and resolved there and then. He didn't care how long it took. He didn't care what he would have to do. He was going to find her, and when he did, he'd never let her go again.


	24. November 21

**21 November 2032**

A low rumble of thunder echoed ominously across the city as Kate sat by the window, looking out. The sky was a sickly grey and the bloated clouds rolled heavily by, blocking out the sun and casting dark shadows on the streets below.

It felt so familiar, to watch the world like this, perched on the sill, her side pressed against the cool glass, her arms wrapped around herself to keep warm. But the landscape had changed. She couldn't see the winding river or the vast and jagged skyline of the city, instead, she was in the centre of it, surrounded by proud and corniced marble structures reaching high into the sky on all sides.

A huge derelict light display advertising drinks and mobile phones was wrapped around a huge stone building on the other side of the street. She could see the statue of Anteros on top of his dry fountain, a small dot on the pavement, far below her window.

The first drops of rain began to fall from the sky and Kate turned away, sighing heavily as she looked around her room.

She hadn't seen or spoken to another person in days. Penelope had brought her here and left, locking the door behind her. Kate had expected a cell, but what she got was a penthouse, much to her confusion and paranoia. The room was luxuriously decorated. The carpets with thick and plush under her feet, the furniture was antique, the fabrics were silks. Even the taps were gold-plated.

She had to hand it to Ben, it was a good hiding place. No one would think to look for her here. She felt a sharp twinge in her stomach and settled heavily into the armchair beside the bed. _Sawyer_. She knew he was looking for her. There was no doubt in her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to let the tears fall that were gathering there. She'd made her choice, and she would live with it. She'd rather remain in this room for the rest of her life than let anything happen to him.

The image of John, slumped lifelessly across his desk flashed through her mind involuntarily and she shuddered. She remembered what Penelope had told her, about how Locke's last words were of her. If only they'd got there sooner. Things would be so different right now. She would still be with Sawyer, there would still be hope. Five minutes was all it had taken for her world to turn inside out.

She sighed again, and pushed her hands through her hair, bringing her knees up to her chest. Then, Kate heard the rattling of a key in the door. She froze, her eyes suddenly wide with fear. She knew who it was even before he walked into the room. She could almost feel his presence, like the rumblings of a distant earthquake.

The door flew open, and Ben Linus stepped through, followed by Penelope. He walked into the room, never once taking his eyes off her, a small smile playing on his thin lips. Kate shivered under his gaze, but refused to let it show, fixing him with a steely glare as he drew closer. He stopped just a few metres in front of her, as Penelope walked casually over to the bed and perched on the end of it.

'Kate Austin,' Ben said, saying her name as if it was an enigma. He looked at her so intently, it made Kate's skin crawl. 'Finally. I've been looking forward to meeting you.'  
'You're a lot shorter than I imagined,' Kate said coolly, refusing to let him see her fear.

Ben chuckled mirthlessly and looked over his shoulder in amusement at Penelope, who shrugged, disinterested, before turning away.  
'You've caused me a lot of trouble over the years,' Ben said, looking back at Kate.  
'You've caused more trouble than I could have in a lifetime,' Kate snapped back.

Ben 's smile vanished and his face hardened, his glassy blue eyes narrowing as he observed her. He looked as if he was going to say something, but instead, he stilled, before walking over and taking a chair from the corner of the room.

He placed it in front of her and sat down, leaning forward. 'I've got some questions for you,' he said, his voice cold and business-like. Kate tensed, but didn't reply. She glanced at the man, checking him over for a weapon, but she couldn't see one. She looked up at Penny, startled to find the woman looking back at her, a note of something Kate would be tempted to call sympathy, if she didn't know better.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the blonde woman, before turning her attention back to Ben.  
'How do you get in to Central, Kate?' he said simply, as he crossed his legs and leaned back in his upholstered chair.

Kate let her eyes drift over to the window. The rain was coming down heavily now, and the room was dark and gloomy. She wondered if Sawyer was out there now, walking through the rainy streets of Central. She wondered if he'd ever forgive her, or if she could forgive him if the tables were turned. She looked back at Ben. Whenever Sawyer had spoken about him, it had been in anger, but she'd always sensed fear there. Now she knew why. Sawyer knew this man, he'd seen what she was seeing now. On the surface Linus was a still lake, his eyes remote and placid, his mouth hanging slack, but she could almost feel the seething furnace of anger, and resentment and fear inside him. It was terrifying.

And for the first time, in days, it hit Kate like a punch in the stomach. The enormity of what she had done by handing herself over to this man. Her stomach churned and she felt like she would be sick. She wanted to run to the window and open it wide, let the ice-cold November wind and rain plaster her face. She could hear Ben talking to her, but she couldn't make out the words. Suddenly, a blinding white light flashed across her eyes and her ears began ringing loud in her head. She'd been hit, she realised, remotely from her daze.

She fell forward and felt someone's arms grip her and push her back into the chair. She cried out in protest and held her arms out defensively. After a few moments her vision began to clear and the ringing subsided. Kate put her hand up to her head, clutching the side of it.

She looked up to see Penelope towering above her. The woman's fists were still clenched, and it was all Kate could do to stop herself launching herself at her and ripping her apart. She exhaled heavily and shakily, willing herself to calm down and focus. Slowly her head stopped spinning. Ben spoke again, and this time she heard him perfectly.

'I'm sorry we had to do that Kate, but you weren't co-operating.'  
She looked up at him warily, waiting for him to continue.  
'What were you planning?' he went on. 'We know that on more than one occasion, you, Jarrah, Ford and Locke met. It doesn't take a genius to imagine what the four of you were talking about.'

So they had been watched, Kate realised, all this time. She thought she'd been so careful. It had been doomed from the start. She almost laughed out loud. They had been fools to think they could change anything.

Kate shook her head. It didn't matter. She still wouldn't tell Linus a thing. She didn't know what she'd expected before she met him. She'd always hated the man, hated what he did, how he operated, but sitting here now, in the same room as him, she realised she hadn't known what hate was. He'd killed Locke. He hadn't pulled the trigger, but he'd killed him. And so many more. She wouldn't tell him a thing.

Ben nodded at Penny and she approached. Kate braced herself, waiting for the pain. Penny brought her hand back and struck again, in the exact same place. She was a good aim, Kate thought wryly, rubbing her head. The pain wasn't bad this time, and Kate felt a resolve growing deep inside her. They couldn't break her. There was only one person who could.

'What were you planning, Kate?' Linus asked again, as if nothing had taken place.

Kate laughed softly as she looked away, out of the window. 'Do what you want,' she said tiredly. 'I'm not telling you anything.'  
Ben leaned forward in his chair. 'I know one thing that will make you talk,' he said, his words like ice.  
Kate's heart skipped a beat, but she refused to look at him, and held her gaze on the black clouds outside.  
'Sawyer.' he said simply.  
The way he said his name… if Kate had a knife, she would have killed him, there and then. She felt her breathing quicken and her heart race in her chest. She watched as Penelope turned around, suddenly focused on the turn in conversation.

'He's out there right now, you know,' Ben said. 'Looking for you,' he laughed viciously. 'It's pathetic. When I think who he used to be…' Ben trailed off, shaking his head in mock sadness.  
Kate could barely breathe. Her heart suddenly felt to big for her chest, as if it was about to break. She knew it, of course she'd known he would be out there. But this confirmation. The knowledge of what he must be going through, how she had done that to him… made her want to scream.

'We've left him alone so far. That could change.' Ben said, his bulbous eyes almost looking right through her. Kate wrenched her gaze away from the window and looked at Ben. She could barely see him. He was a shadowy outline against an even darker room. She looked over at Penelope, silhouetted against the window.

'You said you wouldn't hurt him,' Kate choked out, her words barely a whisper.  
To Kate's surprise, Penelope turned to Ben, a small frown on her face.  
'She's right,' Penelope said coldly. 'We made a deal.'  
'I didn't agree to any deal,' Ben snapped back.  
'Ben. We've talked about this,' Penelope said, her voice quieter now, turning her back on Kate.

Kate watched the exchange intently, helpless to do anything but wait as they talked about her life as if it meant nothing. Ben and Penelope glared at each other for what seemed like hours, before Ben finally seemed to relent slightly, to Kate's shock. Kate looked at Penny in disbelief, then back to Ben.

'Not that any of this matters anyway,' Ben said, turning back to Kate.  
'What do you mean?' Kate said, confused as to what had just taken place.  
'Two weeks from now you'll be dead, and none of this will matter,' Ben said. Kate heard the words, but they didn't seem to take on any meaning. 'You're to be executed.' Ben said coldly, observing her with his remote, lifeless eyes.  
'Executed?' Kate echoed faintly.

'You've been stealing from Central for years,' Ben said, his voice rising. 'Trespassing alone can mean death. You know that Kate. You've always known that. But you kept coming back, kept taking things that didn't belong to you. Well, now it's caught up with you. Did you think you were an exception? That you alone are somehow above the law?'  
'What law?' Kate spat, her anger rising. 'Your laws aren't my laws Ben. Your people built that wall, you're the thieves. You stole the city from us. I was just taking it back, piece by piece.'  
'And did you feed the poor, Kate, when you stole from the rich?' he said sarcastically.

Kate looked away. 'No,' she admitted, her voice almost a whisper. She felt the fight inside her slip away as fast as it had filled her, replaced with the familiar tiredness and sadness that had consumed her for the last week.

'Ok then,' Ben said quietly. He didn't gloat in his victory, instead he leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms across his thin chest. 'I'm sorry Kate,' he said, and for a moment Kate almost believed him. 'But I have to set an example,' he went on.

He watched her for a few moments before raising himself out of the chair. 'In the meantime, you'll be comfortable here,' he said, as if she was a guest in his house.

Ben nodded to Penelope and walked towards the door. Penelope didn't take another glance at Kate before she went through and disappeared into the gloom. But Ben stopped for a moment to look back at her. And the way he looked at her, almost affectionately, made Kate's entire body prickle with fear. He turned away and left, closing the door firmly but softly behind him. She heard the key twist in the lock, and then quiet padded footsteps as he walked away.

The room fell silent, except for the relentless rain beating against the window. Kate stood up shakily and walked over to it, pressing her forehead to it as she looked out. What would he do when he found out about the execution, she thought to herself, lifting her palms flat on the glass. She sat back down on the sill, wishing more than anything that he would appear in front of her on the streets below now. She searched the ground, desperately seeking any shadow or movement. But the roads and streets were empty.

Two weeks, she thought, that was all that was left of her. Two weeks and her story was over.

The rain continued to fall. It didn't stop that night. It poured down from the heavens, washing through the streets, into the gutters, down through the sewers. And it drenched right through to Sawyer's skin as he walked through the streets, far away from Kate's window, shivering against the cold. Searching for her as relentlessly as the rain fell, under the same black sky.


	25. November 25

**25 November 2032**

Sawyer drew deeply on his cigarette before flicking it on to the slick concrete, watching it fizzle out as it was consumed by dirty rainwater. He wrapped his jacket tighter around his body and leaned against the wall. The wind was fierce and cold and an icy, misty rain was falling. He was early. But he couldn't have waited any longer.

The days and nights since he'd held Kate in his arms were indistinguishable from each other. Time had melted into one horrific and never ending nightmare. He didn't know how long had passed, only that every morning he faced without her was another ache in his heart, another line on his face.

The beginnings of a beard shadowed his jaw and his eyes were sunken with exhaustion. He couldn't remember the last time he'd rested, the last time he'd allowed his body a break.

He'd found out about Kate's execution the day before, or the day before that, he couldn't remember. The posters were all over town. Her face was everywhere he turned. It was to be a death by firing squad. Underneath her name was a huge list of her crimes ranging from trespassing and thievery to assault and espionage. She'd even been accused of attempting to stage a coup. Underneath the list was a small biography detailing how dangerous she was and how she lacked patriotism and compassion for her fellow citizens. Sawyer had to laugh at that one.

The execution was set for the fifth of December, and everyone was invited. The secret smiles and the slight swagger of the people vanished, and the familiar feeling of lost hope returned again like a thick fog over the slums. But when Sawyer had heard the news, he'd almost managed a smile, because it meant she was still alive.

It was a glimmer of hope and it was an opportunity. His searches of Central had brought nothing but more blood on his hands. He'd lost count of how many people he'd killed. But he never got any closer to finding Kate. He couldn't find Ben, or anyone even close to his circle. It was as if they had all vanished into thin air.

'You look tired.'  
Sawyer whipped around, jolted out of his thoughts, to see Sayid approaching him from down the gloomy alleyway.  
'You don't look so great yourself Ali,' Sawyer said.  
And it was true. Sayid looked exhausted, his shoulders were sagging slightly as he walked and he had dark shadows under his deep set brown eyes.

'It's been a long day.' Sayid said as he stopped in front of Sawyer.  
'Any news?' Sawyer asked flatly. He'd asked the question so many times, his heart refused to even hope anymore.  
Sayid shook his head. 'Shall we walk?' he asked instead.

Sawyer pushed himself off the wall and the two headed up the alley leading on to Salmon Lane. The roads were quiet, it was after ten and most were inside by now. Sawyer and Sayid kept close to the shadows as they walked, speaking quietly. Both knew they could be followed. There was still a list, and their names hadn't been crossed off it yet.

'We need to plan for the fifth,' Sayid said. 'That is the only time we will know exactly where she is.'  
'And in the meantime?' Sawyer said. 'I can't just sit around here twiddling my thumbs, Ali. Feel like I'm going crazy. I gotta do something.'  
'You can not keep going back to Central, Sawyer. How far will your luck stretch? What good will you be to Kate if you're dead?'

Sawyer knew it was true, but he didn't want to hear it. He wanted to keep looking until he found her. He clenched his fists and stuffed them into his pockets, trying to quell the frustration that raged inside him. He saw a bar up ahead. The windows were boarded up, but a crack of light shone out from beneath the doorway.

'Let's get a drink,' Sawyer said.  
He didn't wait for an answer. He walked towards the bar and pulled the door open and stepped inside. A small bell above the door rang out, signalling his entrance, and three sets of eyes turned to look at him. The room was small, and stank of sweat and stale beer. The carpet, which was probably once a deep burgundy, was almost black, and stiff with years of trodden grime. Sawyer walked up to the counter and took a bar-stool. Two old men sat further down it, ignoring him now they'd established he wasn't a threat.

Behind the bar was a short squat man with a greasy moustache wearing a filthy brown apron across his bulging belly. He looked at Sawyer, a hint of recognition in his squinting eyes. Sawyer signalled towards a liquor bottle behind him, wordlessly. He was in no mood for conversation with strangers.

As the bartender poured his drink the bell above the door rang. Sayid came through and took the empty chair beside Sawyer.  
'Is this a good idea?' he asked quietly.  
'It's just a drink Sayid,' Sawyer said, his voice emotionless. 'You got a problem with that? Against your religion or something?'  
Sayid raised an eyebrow at him and almost smiled. 'I stopped believing a long time ago,' he said.  
He nodded at the bartender to pour him a drink.

They waited for the man to walk out of ear-shot before they spoke again.  
'In one week,' Sayid said. 'We will be receiving our final shipment of explosives. We will have enough to bring down the entire wall.'  
'When do we plant it?' Sawyer asked, knocking back his drink, relishing the fierce burn as it travelled down his throat.  
'The night before the execution,' Sayid replied, gently nursing his own drink.  
'The borders will be crawling with guards.'  
'You have a better plan?'  
'We place them any earlier and there's a higher chance someone'll find them,' Sawyer said thoughtfully. 'We should do it on the day. There's gonna be plenty of people around, lots of confusion and distraction.'

Sayid looked deep in thought, contemplating Sawyer's words as he sunk his drink down. Sawyer waved at the bartender and within seconds their glasses had been refilled.  
'It's risky,' Sayid said. 'It leaves us very little room for error.'  
Sawyer nodded. 'I know that. I'll take the Blades. They won't let us down.'  
'People could get hurt Sawyer.'  
'Then we warn them.'

'Ok,' Sayid conceded reluctantly. 'And how will we get to Kate?'  
'Leave that to me,' Sawyer said.  
He thought about Kate's weapon collection and chuckled darkly, for a brief second forgetting the pain his soul was in, and the hurt is heart was feeling. He'd told her when he'd seen it she had enough to take down the whole of Central. Now he'd have a chance to prove it.  
'And Sayid…?' Sawyer added, his tone full of malice. 'Linus is mine. Got a score that needs settling.'

Sayid looked at him intently before turning his attention back to his drink. He didn't say anything, instead he swirled the dark liquid around in his glass.

For the second time since Sawyer had sat down, the small bell rang out. He and Sayid turned in their chairs to see Cid, Sawyer's second-in-command, barge through the door. He entered the room and saw Sawyer and held up his hand to him, before doubling over on his hulking body, resting his hands on his knees, as he tried to catch his breath.

'Can we help you with something, Cid?' Sawyer asked dryly, raising eyebrow.  
Cid stood to attention, his breathing calmer. 'I saw you come in here from the bottom of the road. Been looking all over for you boss.'  
'What's wrong?' Sawyer asked quickly, his brow furrowing.  
'I don't know. There's a guy…' Cid said between breaths. 'Seems kind of crazy but he says he knows you. He's telling anyone who'll listen. Been trying to find you, he says.'

Sawyer shook his head. 'Don't know him.' he said, turning back around to his drink.  
Sayid looked at him in surprise. 'You haven't even seen him yet.'  
'Yeah,' Sawyer muttered. 'By the sounds of it I don't want to. I don't have time for this Sayid and neither do you.'  
'What was his name?' Sayid asked Cid, ignoring Sawyer.  
'Says his name's Desmond.'  
'Desmond?' Sawyer said, whipping back around.  
'You know him?' Cid asked.

A slow and rarely seen smile crept on to Sawyer's face. 'Crazy son of a bitch,' he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. 'What the hell's he doing here?'  
'You wanna ask him yourself?' Cid asked.  
'What'd you do with him?'  
'We're keeping him in the eastern hideout. Figured we hadn't used the place in a while.'  
Sawyer nodded. 'Let's go,' he said, rising out of his chair. 'You coming?' he said turning to Sayid. Sayid smiled in agreement and threw some credits down on to the bar and they walked back out on to the cold streets.

They were already in the east sector of the slums and the hideout was just under a mile's walk away, along the stinking algae-coated canals. It was a Georgian wreck on a narrow cobblestone street. It should have been terraced, but the houses either side had long come down. The hideout looked like it was only standing because of the piles of rubble propping it up on either side.

Sawyer walked through the overgrown garden towards the heavy wooden front door and pushed it open, stepping into the tiny hallway. He heard the sound of low muffled voices coming from a room down the corridor and followed them, pushing open the next door.

The room was small and cosy. Three couches lined the walls and an oil lamp burned in the corner, coating the room in its warm orange glow. And there was Desmond. As skittish and wild-haired as Sawyer remembered. Two of Sawyer's younger recruits, dressed in the standard military blue of the Blades, had been sat on one of the sofas but stood up when he entered the room.

Desmond also stood, and took a few steps towards Sawyer. He pushed his hand through his hair awkwardly before holding it out. Sawyer took it with both hands and shook it. He looked into the other man's eyes and felt a sudden relief. He'd heard Desmond's story when he'd told it to Kate. He'd pretended to be asleep so he wouldn't have to join in the conversation, but he'd listened to every word. About Penny, and how he'd never stopped looking for her.

And suddenly Sawyer felt like he was looking into a mirror. He was looking at himself, only years later, still wrenched apart from the woman he loved, still searching. How it must have driven him mad, Sawyer thought, all those years of not-knowing. It would be like living in darkness.

'It's good to see you Desmond.' Sawyer said, his voice low and thick with checked emotion.  
'Good to see you too, brother.' Desmond replied. His shoulders relaxed a little and he smiled, dropping his hand.  
'You heard?' Sawyer asked.  
'I heard,' Desmond replied, his watery brown eyes creasing in concern.  
Sawyer nodded and walked over to one of the sofas and settled heavily into it. Desmond followed suit as Cid and Sayid walked into the room, closing the door behind them.

'What can I do?' Desmond asked, his voice low and serious.  
'It's in less than a fortnight,' Sawyer said, lowering his head and looking at his hands. 'Until then, we wait, we train, we prepare. It's gonna get ugly, Desmond,' Sawyer said, looking up at him again.  
'That's why I'm here,' Desmond replied.  
Sawyer looked at the other man for a moment, and then he said: 'Thanks for coming.' Because it was what Kate would want him to say.

Everyone in the room looked on at the exchange with mild awe. Even Cid, who was Sawyer's closest companion among the Blades, had never seen this side of his boss before. He was vulnerable, he was nearly broken, and he was acting grateful to another human being. The transformation from the man he had been just months before was astonishing to them.

Sawyer suddenly became acutely aware of the shift in the atmosphere and he felt himself harden again. He didn't want pity, he didn't even want admiration. He just wanted it all to be over.

'You can stay here,' he said to Desmond, his tone gruff. 'I'll come see you in the morning. There's food in the cupboards and wine in the cellar.'  
'Just go easy on it,' Cid said with a smile. 'It's the real deal. Vintage.'

Desmond smiled back at Cid and nodded.  
'I'm too tired to eat anyway, brother,' Desmond said.  
'We'll let you get some rest then.' Sawyer said, rising from the chair. He signalled at the younger Blades to leave the room, scowling darkly at them as they walked past him, punishment for having seen him at his weakest. Cid and Sayid followed, stepping through the hallway and back outside to the streets.

Sawyer nodded his goodbye to Desmond and moved to leave, when the Scotsman spoke again, his voice barely more than a whisper.  
'Have hope, Sawyer,' he said.  
Sawyer turned around to face him the other man. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, not trusting himself. He shook his head and swallowed hard, trying again.

'How do you do it?' he asked, barely managing to choke the words out.  
He didn't need to explain any further, Desmond knew what Sawyer was asking.  
'I wake up in the morning and I keep moving,' he said. 'I keep breathing. Because I know she's alive brother, I know she's alone and that she needs me.'  
'Because you love her,' Sawyer said quietly.  
'Aye brother,' Desmond said, nodding sadly. 'Because I love her.'

Sawyer left the room without another word and rejoined the group. He didn't say a word to them as they walked back to the slums, eventually breaking off to go their separate ways. They agreed to meet every night between now and the fifth. Nothing could go wrong. Nothing could be left to chance. They had one shot, one last effort to change all of their lives and lift themselves from the shadows.

Sawyer went alone to Kate's flat. He'd never left, like she'd asked him to the last time he saw her. He couldn't. It was all he had left of her. He walked over to the window and sat on the sill, looking out at the city beyond, waiting. Waiting for time to pass, counting off the days until he saw her again.


	26. December 5, Dawn

**5 December 2032**

It was ten past ten according to the ornate, hand-crafted grandfather clock that stood in the corner of Kate's room. Ten past ten in the morning, but it was still so dark outside her window.

Kate pressed her hand to the cool glass and scanned the gloomy streets below. She'd spent so many hours like this in the last weeks, looking for the slightest movement, the briefest shadow. She rarely saw anyone. Even in the daytime, Central was a ghost town. A stranger who stumbled across it would think that no civilians lived there at all. Kate saw plenty of guards patrolling, and she had mentally noted their routine. She knew the shift changes, the routes they took, the times they took them. Not that any of it would do any good. It was just automatic.

She'd once felt like she owned these streets. She'd been so bold and had felt so free. The only person in the slums who could go in and out of Central whenever she wanted. She knew all the shortcuts through the complex and ancient networks of streets and alleyways. She knew all those secret hiding places. If only she could get out of this room.

She was being watched from the building across the street, snipers ready for any sign of a break-out. Two guards had been permanently stationed outside of her door, and they weren't the usual Central grunts. They were smart, and strong, and brutal. Ben's finest. Only the best for her, she thought wryly, looking around the luxurious suite.

She sighed heavily, and returned to the arm chair where she had sat so hopelessly in for these past weeks, with nothing to do but think. Her mind wouldn't stop. It tortured her constantly. A thousand thoughts competed for her attention. Her last words to Sawyer, the five minutes between being able to help Locke, and his murder. Central, the slums, Ben Linus. Penelope. The time she had spent outside of London, the forest they had found, the expectation of the people of the slums, how she had let them down. Worst of all though, were her thoughts of Sawyer. The good memories caused her just as much pain as the bad. What he was going through… she couldn't even imagine. The only thing she could cling on to, was the thought that at least he was safe, he was still alive.

She hated that she wasn't with him, and she felt like every moment she stayed in this room, was another way she was betraying him. She couldn't help herself to help him. For the first time in her life she was trapped and she couldn't get out.

When her torturing mind allowed her respite to hope, Kate thought about what Sawyer's plan was. Because there _was_ a plan. There had to be. If there was one person she could rely on, if there was one person she could trust in this world to never leave her behind, it was Sawyer.

But then she would remember that it could get worse for him if he _did_ try and help her. She was terrified for him. Scared of what he would do. Most of all though, she was scared that his plan wouldn't work. What would that do to him? What if he had to watch her die today?

The door to Kate's apartment opened with a creak and she looked up to see Penelope walk in. She carried a fine china plate consisting of a meagre meal of thickly sliced meat, bread and cheese. A blunt, shiny polished knife rested on the side, mocking Kate with its impotence. Kate watched Penny warily as she entered the room, closing the door behind her.

Penny placed the plate on the small table by the armchair without meeting Kate's eyes. Then she crossed the room and leaned against the back of a desk, folding her arms across her chest. She observed Kate through narrow, curious eyes. Kate had gotten used to it. She always looked at her this way. As if Kate was a puzzle she couldn't figure out, a forgotten word that was just on the tip of her tongue.

'Can I help you with something?' Kate said coldly.  
Penny seemed to wake up, and she stood up straighter, a mild look of shock on her face that she failed to hide before it hardened.

She nodded her head over to the plate of food. 'Thought I'd bring you your last meal.'  
'I'm touched,' Kate said sarcastically.  
Penny shrugged. 'It's almost time to go, Kate. Eat it, don't eat it… it makes no difference to me.' She pushed herself off the desk and crossed the room. 'I'll be waiting outside,' she said, as she opened the door. 'You've got ten minutes,' she added, closing the door behind her.

A wave of nausea passed over Kate and she pushed the plate away from her. She felt panic start to rise, from the pit of her stomach, in waves through her body. She looked down at her hand and clenched it into a fist when she saw she was trembling. She felt like her lungs were constricting and she gasped for air, trying to take a deep breath, trying to steady her dizzying mind and calm herself down.

There was no way out, nowhere to run. She had to face it. She had to accept it. She repeated those words, over and over in her head, like a mantra, and slowly her breath came back to her.

Ben Linus's words came rushing back to her in a flood, and she realised, with the heaviest of hearts, that he was right. She'd always known what would happen if she was caught in Central, she hadn't cared. Life in the slums hadn't been living, it was mere day-to-day survival, so she'd taken the chance and chosen to live. Her way. Even now, even after Sawyer, she didn't regret a thing. If this was the penalty for the life she'd led, she'd take it. She wouldn't cry injustice.

Kate pulled herself off the chair and walked over to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the gold-rimmed mirror that hung above the polished marble sink. She saw the reflection staring back, and gave herself a smile. She picked up a jug of water by the sink and poured some into her hand and rubbed at her face. She ran her hands through her hair, pulling out the tangles, smoothing it down. And then she walked to the front door, opened it and said, 'I'm ready.'

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Sawyer stood in the middle of the heaving crowd that had gathered at the gates of Central. All around him was movement, pushing and shoving and pulling, but Sawyer stood, immovable as a rock among the gathered people of the slums. His whole body was strung tight, primed. His dirty blonde hair hung in his green eyes which were flashing with barely contained violence, staring intently at the gates, waiting, waiting.

Sawyer had never seen so many people in one place. It was as if the entire slums had turned out to watch the spectacle. But despite the crowd, it was deathly quiet. When people spoke, it was barely a murmur, when they moved, it was slow and shuffling.

A light drizzle of rain covered everyone and everything in crystal drops, and a thick fog hung low, kicking up in wisps at their feet.

Sawyer caught a glimpse of Desmond's shaggy brown hair further ahead, near the main gates, and he focused his eyes. Desmond's face appeared calm. His usual, anxious demeanour was nowhere to be seen. To the casual observer, he was just another spectator from the slums who'd come to see the show. So far, so good, Sawyer thought. Desmond would have placed his explosives by now. Sawyer followed the line of the wall eastwards and caught sight of Cid. He stood a foot higher than all around him and was easy to spot. He caught Sawyer's eye and nodded slightly. Sawyer smiled to himself.

This was going to work, he could feel it. In one hour, everything would change, and no one knew it but them. The walls were coming down, and he was getting Kate back. He was ready for this. The last two weeks, he had done nothing but prepare for this moment. He'd gained weight, he'd trained hard, he'd planned over and over, he'd traced the steps he would take, he'd traced the steps Desmond and Sayid and Cid would take. Nothing would go wrong.

A soft roll of thunder echoed out across the city and Sawyer tensed. The crowd around him seemed to still at once, as if they were one. The thunder grew louder and Sawyer narrowed his eyes. That wasn't thunder, he realised with a grimace, his stomach lurching. It was drums. A low rumbling of drums, that was drawing closer to the crowd, from behind the great expanse of wall that separated them from Central.

Suddenly a loud screech pierced through the relative quiet of the morning, causing everyone around Sawyer to jump. But Sawyer stayed motionless, staring at the gates. They were opening. The crowd saw glimpses of the imposing castle and the river that ran beside it and the bridge that had once crossed it, but now lay in ruins, as the gates opened wider.

And suddenly there she was. Sawyer saw her straight away from the commotion and chaos that surrounded her.

His heart stopped beating in his chest. It was all he could do to stop himself from breaking away from the mass of people around him and running to her. He'd crush every one of them to get to her, he didn't give a damn, but he had to wait. It wasn't time yet.

He strained to catch another glimpse as the excited crowd began to surge forward against the human barrier that the Central guards had formed to keep them out.

He shoved a burly man in front of him out of the way impatiently and Kate came into view again. She was so beautiful, he'd never forgotten it, but it was always a mild shock when he saw her. Her green eyes were narrowed against the rain, her curly brown hair was pushed behind her ears, revealing her proud face that looked as if it had been sculpted from smooth, pale marble. She looked so small. She looked so defiant. She looked like an angel.

A smile broke across Sawyer's face of pure pride. She was engulfed in Central guards, being pushed and prodded towards a platform that stood just at the gates where she was to be shot dead, and still they hadn't broken her. She still held her head high and no one would know she was scared… except Sawyer. He saw it, in the hard line of her cheekbone, the shadows in her eyes, the stiffness of her walk.

Audible gasps of excitement were ringing out around him, bringing him back to reality. He knew it was for Central, for it's grand spires and it's clean streets, and tended grass and pristine roads. He knew it was for the sight of Kate Austin, who had been nothing more than a whispered legend for so long, a hero and a mirage. But all he could see was _his_ Kate, the real woman, who dreamed of stone cottages and a peaceful life. He turned away from her and looked towards the back of the crowd, reassuring himself that Sayid was where he should be, waiting to detonate.

He saw the other man, a black silhouette against the white cloudy sky, crouching on the roof of the pub, which stood next to Sawyer's now demolished town house.

He quickly looked back at Kate, not wanting to let her out of his sight for more than a second. He saw her green eyes darting left and right through the crowd and Sawyer realised with a stab to his heart that she was looking for him. He wanted to shout her name, tell her everything was going to be ok. That he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He hadn't seen her in so long, hadn't held her in his arms. Being this close to her and not being able to touch her, reassure her, it was torture.

And then the drums suddenly stopped, and all fell quiet.

Kate was roughly pushed up on to the platform. A burly Central guard grabbed her by the wrists, and shoved her to the other end of the platform, facing the crowd. Six soldiers climbed up after, smiling and walking with a gait that suggested they were famous actors, not executioners. They waited on the corner of the stage for their cue, assault rifles at the ready. Sawyer watched them through flashing eyes and gripped the grenade launcher under his coat, pulling it out slightly. Any minute now.

And then he saw something that brought him completely into focus. Reminded him exactly why he was here. Ben Linus.

The small, slight man climbed up on to the wooden platform and walked over to the centre of it. He smiled at Kate with his thin lips as he walked to the centre of the wooden stage, and it was almost enough for Sawyer to pull out his pistol and shoot him between the eyes, there and then.

Linus looked out at the crowd, a smile twisting across his face that Sawyer took for pride. Of course it was pride, Sawyer thought darkly. The bastard was in his element. He'd waited so long for this moment. The amount of time and energy he had spent thinking about Kate, trying to track her down, Sawyer knew better than anyone. He'd been a part of it. She'd made a fool of Ben. She'd made a fool of all of them. Linus had been waiting for this day since the first time she'd crossed the line into Central. Ben held up his hand, for quiet that he already had, and spoke.

'I'll make this short,' he began, his tone deceivingly melodious and a warm smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. 'Thank you for coming. It's not often I have a chance to see you all, and it really is my pleasure.'

The crowd remained in stony silence, as Sawyer looked on fuming. Linus was talking as if he was making a speech at a party, and they were his guests, instead of the people he'd murdered and harassed and oppressed for so many years.

Ben stiffened at the silence he was met with. He scanned the crowd with his bulbous, fishy eyes and Sawyer ducked behind the tall man he'd shoved out of the way earlier. He lowered his head, letting his hair fall into his face.

He heard Ben clear his throat and speak again, his tone now void of any of the warmth it had contained moments ago. He turned to Kate.

'Kate Austin, you've been found guilty of ….well,' he said, risking another charmless smile at the gathered crowd. 'Too many crimes for me to list standing here today. Not only have you wantonly stolen my own personal possessions and damaged and vandalised the walls and buildings of this great city. Not only have you wilfully assaulted countless soldiers in the Central Guard and caused them to divert much needed manpower away from protecting the people.'

Sawyer watched as Ben grew red in the face, his eyes bulging with unchecked rage, his voice louder and louder.

'But you have also failed to show any compassion for the people gathered here today. You have put these good people through unnecessary bloodshed, you have caused the deaths of thousands through your complete disregard for the laws and people of this city.'

He paused for breath and stilled a moment, and Sawyer knew he was loving this, that he wanted to prolong it for as long as possible. He wasn't satisfied to have Kate killed. He wanted to humiliate her, break her, utterly. Sawyer felt his own rage growing inside as he looked at the man. He wouldn't even use a gun. He'd kill him with his bare hands.

'Not only that!' Ben continued, his voice taking on an air of incredulity. 'You have also brought suffering to those closest to you. John Locke - a great man,' Ben paused again for effect, shaking his head in sadness. 'A man who took you in, who saved you from starving to death on the streets is dead. After all he did for you, this is how you repay him?'

He turned back to the crowd and Sawyer raised his head. He didn't give a damn if Ben saw him. He willed it. He wanted him to see what was coming his way. He looked over at Kate and saw she was trembling, her pale face stricken with horror.

'While all of your people dying,' Linus said, addressing the crowd. 'Kate Austin was hiding away, stalking the sewers like a rat. But now…' he said turning his beady eyes back on Kate 'It ends. It's over. You will die here today, in front of all of these people. And you will serve as a lesson. A fairytale mothers will use to scare their children into behaving.'

Ben faced the crowd again, standing taller now, his chest puffed and proud, his voice oozing with misplaced superiority.

'We have rules and if you break those rules, we must take actions to maintain the order of this…once great city.'

He turned his head to the firing squad on the corner of the stage. 'When you're ready,' he said flippantly, before he walked to the edge of the platform and stepped off.

And Sawyer, burning and brimming with days and month and years of barely contained rage, a man who had lost everything and everyone he had ever loved, lifted out the massive grenade launcher on to his shoulder and started squeezing the trigger.

At the same time, the six men who made up the firing squad took their places, no more than fifty metres opposite Kate, and raised their own weapons to fire.

And then the whole of central London descended into utter chaos…


	27. December 5, Dusk

**5 December 2032. Dusk.**

For a few moments, Kate thought that she had died and gone to hell.

All she could see was a blinding white light. All she could hear was a high-pitched ringing in her ears. She had been thrown on to her knees, and she felt her hands scrape painfully across splintered wood. She coughed violently, her lungs burning as she breathed in black smoke. Though her mind was frozen with shock and confusion, she scrambled forward, her instincts telling her to move and find clean air.

Her eyes slowly began to adjust, and as soon as they did they started watering. Everywhere she turned, was smoke and fire. She strained to focus through her blurred vision and saw people, hundreds of people running in all directions, hands covering their heads, horror and confusion on their faces. Their screams now permeated through the ringing in her ears, the cracking of gunshots following them, creating a ghastly cacophony in her mind. She scrambled forward a few feet more and breathed deeply as she found air.

Just as she was catching her breath, the thick, coppery stench of blood hit her nose and her stomach heaved in protest. She recoiled back on to her hands and saw two Central guards lay heaped on top of each other at the edge of the platform, or at least, what was left of them. They were ripped apart and they were covered in blood, and Kate's mind spun as she tried to understand what had happened to them, what was happening all around her.

A creeping horror crawled up her back as she got to her feet, scrambling to get away from the wooden stage. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her from behind. She spun around, her body knowing what it had to do even if her mind hadn't caught up. She lashed out violently, launching herself at her attacker and throwing him to the floor. She landed on top of him and pinned him down with her legs, desperately looking around for some shrapnel or piping she could use to kill him with.

'Kate!'

She had heard it, in the back of my her mind she had heard it for the last few seconds. Her name, shouted over and over again, but nothing in her mind anchored the word to her.

'Kate, it's me!'

She saw a rough chunk of concrete and heaved it off the ground with what little strength she had and raised it shakily over her head.

'Freckles!'

Kate froze, her heart missing a beat, her mind reeling.

She blinked and looked down, trying to focus on the man beneath her. She didn't dare believe it was him. Her heart wouldn't let her. But then she saw the dirty blonde hair, and the flashing green eyes looking right into her soul, and she knew.

He looked up at her, a gaze Kate couldn't decipher. Pain, fear, joy or relief she didn't know, but he was real and he was here, and it was too much to take in.

'It's you,' she whispered faintly.  
'Yeah, Freckles,' he said softly. 'It's me. Now how about you put that rock down?' he said, raising an eyebrow, a smile quickly spreading across his face.  
Kate laughed out loud, unable to help herself, and flung the rock wearily to the side, her arms straining at the effort. She fell forward and he quickly caught her in his arms, covering her face with kisses, his arms pulling her desperately into him and holding her close.

'I'm sorry,' Kate whispered, her entire body humming in rhythm with his. 'I'm so sorry.'  
She felt Sawyer shake his head, his lips pressed to her neck. He breathed in deeply and slowly exhaled, his body relaxing, as if letting go of the heaviest of burdens. 'I missed you,' Sawyer said simply, his voice so hoarse it was almost a growl.  
Kate squeezed her eyes shut, and rested her head against his chest. Whatever happened now, it didn't matter to her. She'd been gifted this moment when all had been lost. Somehow she was alive, and she was in Sawyer's arms. His lips found hers and they kissed, desperate and searching, a lifetime of apologies, promises and assurances, all played out in their embrace.

They pulled apart regretfully, the sounds of gunfire all around them. But Sawyer risked one last moment of peace, and gently pushed a lock of hair from her face and behind her ear. He stroked his thumb across her cheek. 'Come on, girl,' he drawled softly. 'We better get away from the wall.'

Sawyer pushed upwards and Kate pulled herself off him and got to her feet, but he didn't let go of her hand. He reached into his boot and pulled out a pistol and handed it to her. Kate took it and he smiled. 'That's better,' he said, nodding.

Sawyer led the way and they ran, pushing through the dispersing, panicked crowd of people that were running from the entrance. Sawyer roughly pushed people out of the way, using his shoulder as a ram.

'What's going on?' Kate shouted as they worked their way through the crowd. 'You said we have to get away from the walls.'  
'You'll see, Freckles,' Sawyer said, turning around to shoot her a triumphant smile. 'Don't worry, I've booked the best view in the slums.'  
Kate frowned in confusion as they finally burst free of the crowd and had space to move. Just to feel the broken concrete of the slums beneath her feet made Kate's heart sing. She counted, three, then another four Blades, rifles in hand, shouting at the crowd to move, to get to their homes, as they fired into Central.

Suddenly, she saw a face that made her stop in her tracks.  
'Desmond?' she said, unbelievingly. He stood, among the remains of Sawyer's old townhouse, gun in hand, and a huge smile on his face. Kate heard Sawyer chuckle beside her as Desmond ran towards them.

He pulled Kate into a hug before she had a chance to say another word, and all that was left for her to do was laugh.

'Easy there soldier,' Sawyer said good-naturedly as Desmond let go.  
Desmond smiled up at Sawyer, his eyes shining. 'You did it brother,' his tone full of what Kate took for pride.  
Kate looked up to see Sawyer nod, as the two man clasped hands and hugged, slapping each other on the back. Kate looked on in wonder. So much had happened in her absense, she wanted to know everything.

'Are we good?' Sawyer asked Desmond.  
'We're good.' Desmond nodded.  
'Well then, we're going to go up top. You coming? Hear it's going to be one hell of a show,' Sawyer grinned.  
'Wouldn't miss it for the world,' Desmond shot back.  
'One of you gonna tell me what's going on?' Kate asked, her heart already giddy. Because deep down, she already knew.  
'Come on,' Sawyer said, and the three of them set off together. Sawyer led them around the back of the ruined townhouse to the pub next to it.

He pushed open the door and Kate followed, stepping inside. She'd only ever been in here once. It was too close to Central for her liking. It was normally packed, but now it was deserted, everyone either out on the streets or running to their homes. Kate heard the continuing gunfire outside and shuddered, quickly following Sawyer out the back to where the stairs were. They ran up to the top level where Sawyer pushed open a hatch to the roof. He pulled himself up and dropped an arm for Kate. She stepped on to a chair beneath it and grabbed Sawyer's hand in hers, using the other to clasp on to the roof edge.

Sawyer pulled her up gently and Kate stepped on to the roof, her eyes readjusted from the gloom of the bar. She stepped on to the roof and looked out. She could see Central in front of her, partially blocked by the curving great wall that stretched into the horizon.

'Sayid was here a minute ago,' Sawyer said. 'You'll see him later.'  
Kate nodded, her mind barely able to take anymore in. She took a few steps forward to the edge of the roof and looked down. Only thirty, maybe forty Central guards were left shooting, and she could see at least twelve Blades, strategically scattered around the entrance. They had the advantage, if the guards came out to the slums, they'd be shot dead. The battle was at an impasse and without command, the Central guards were helpless.

She felt Sawyer come up beside her and she took his hand, squeezing it tight. Desmond appeared by her other side, a metal contraption in his hand.

'Is that what I think it is?' Kate smiled, his unruly hair blowing behind him on the December wind.  
'Aye,' he said. 'You want to do the honours?' He asked, raising an eyebrow, an easy smile on his face.

Kate looked back, at Central, and the wall, and shook her head. 'No,' she whispered. 'I'll just watch.'

Suddenly, a flare was released from the eastern slums, exploding loud in the air.  
'Now.' Sawyer commanded quietly, and Desmond pressed the button on top of the detonator in his hands.

For a split-second before the destruction of the wall, the world around them fell silent, as if everyone, as if everything, across the entire city, was holding its breath. Time slowed down, and Kate felt crystal clarity descend in her mind. It was a perfect silence of anticipation and expectation, of understanding and acquiescing to what was right, and what was meant to be.

And then came the explosions. A series of shattering explosions, tearing through the sky, rumbling like thunder, shaking the ground beneath them. And Kate, observing from a distance through weary and wondering eyes, from her vantage point at the top of the slums, watched as the walls of Central came down.

Whole sections of it burst into rocks and dust in a row all along, and it began collapsing in on itself, tumbling and crashing to the ground.

Kate could see huge swathes of Central, newly revealed, and the setting sun, painting the city gold. The entire landscape of London had changed in front of her eyes, in just a few short seconds.

She heard Sawyer whistle softly beside her. 'Never thought I'd see the day,' he nodded.  
Kate simply squeezed his hand, unable to speak. In a single moment, their entire world had changed, and all there was for Kate, was to watch it from her place in history.

'We better go down,' Desmond said quietly, his voice edged with awe. 'Make sure no one was hurt.'  
Kate nodded, still unable to tear her eyes away from the sight in front of her. She took one last look and followed Sawyer and Desmond down to the street.

'They're running,' Sawyer said to her, when Kate caught up.  
She followed his gaze to the groups of Central guards on the other side of the broken wall.  
'They're scared.' Kate said simply. All around them, people from the slums were approaching, walking in a daze, staring at the remains of the wall and the shining city beyond.

Kate saw a slim figure emerge from behind the broken stage at the gates and realised with a shudder who it was. Penny. And she was holding a gun that was aimed right at Kate. She felt the weight of Sawyer as he ran to her side, moving in front of her.

Suddenly, Desmond ran in front of both of them, and for the hundredth time that day, Kate's world shifted.  
'Penny!' Desmond shouted, but she didn't stop.  
Kate looked on in horror as Penny lifted the gun in her hand, and fired, her face empty of any feeling. She broke away from Sawyer and ran towards Desmond, helpless as she saw him stumble back, a spray of blood ripping from his chest. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes blurring and watched as Penny took another step forward and shot again.

The bullet penetrated his arm and he fell, spinning in the air on to his back. Kate ran towards Desmond's lifeless body, Sawyer close behind her, and fell to her knees by his side.  
'What did you do?' she shouted, turning to Penny. 'What did you do?'

But Penny wasn't listening, she wasn't looking at Kate at all. She had stopped, as if frozen in time. She slowly unclenched her hand and her gun fell, rattling to the floor. Kate heard the shallow sound of breathing and turned back to Desmond, hope returning to her heart.  
'Desmond?' she said, her voice tiny.  
'Penny,' he rasped.  
Kate looked up to see Penny walking towards them, her face ghostly white, her entire body trembling.

Kate felt Sawyer grab her hand and she let him pull her away. There was nothing she could do. Penny slumped to her knees beside Desmond and moved over him, her hand resting on the ground by his body. They stayed like that, just looking at each other, for what Kate felt like was an eternity. And then Penny bent down and whispered into his ear.

Kate felt tears falling down her face, her throat thick and choking as she watched Desmond shudder and take his last breath.

Penny looked up at Kate, her eyes shining, utter despair written all over her face.  
'I thought he was dead. They told me he was dead,' she whispered, her eyes pleading with Kate.

Penny looked back down at Desmond and lay her head on his chest, a low, wrenching wail escaping from her.

Kate turned her back, and walked away, simply unable to bear it. She left them there, and when she and Sawyer heard a single, echoing gun shot ring out behind them, neither turned around. They just kept walking. There was nothing for them left to say.

They walked over to the main gates that lay on the ground, and stepped over the imaginary line into Central.

From a distance, they saw Cid, running towards them, and they stopped, waiting wearily for him to catch up to them.

Her reached them and bent over to catch us breath, looking up at Kate and shooting her a victorious smile. She smiled back sadly, the enormity of everything that had happened still sinking in.

He stood straighter and gave Sawyer a salute.  
'Job done, boss,' he said, his chest puffing with pride.  
'Any losses?' Sawyer asked.  
'Yeah,' Cid said evenly, as he reeled off a list of names that Kate didn't recognise.  
Sawyer nodded and looked out at the city beyond.  
'You did good though Cid,' he said.  
'Where's Desmond?' Cid asked, looking over Sawyer's shoulder, but Sawyer shook his head solemnly.

They shared a silence, for a moment, before Cid lifted his rifle to his shoulder and looked around.  
'We're going to check the surrounding areas,' he said gruffly. 'Look for any sign of resistance.'  
He shot Sawyer another respectful salute, before he turned and walked over to a group of waiting Blades further down the ruins of the wall.

Suddenly, Kate felt Sawyer stiffen beside her.  
'What?' she asked alarmed, instantly sensing his change in mood.  
He reached for the rifle on his back and was staring fiercely into Central. Kate followed his gaze and her heart dropped, knowing what was going to happen and utterly helpless to stop it.

She saw the retreating slim figure of Ben Linus as he disappeared inside a two-story glass building, further down Central's main road. She turned to Sawyer, a feeling of dread growing in the pit of her stomach.

'Sawyer, please,' she said. 'Don't do this. You don't have to do this. It's over.'  
'You think _he_ thinks its over, Freckles?' Sawyer asked sharply. 'I should have killed that bastard a long time ago.'  
'Sawyer,' Kate said, her voice hardening. She didn't know why it was so important, just that she was desperate for him not to go. 'I'm asking you not to do this.'

Sawyer looked down at her. His eyes seemed to soften, shining in the setting sun. He looked at her for a moment, his weather-beaten face full of admiration. 'I love you Freckles. I ever tell you that?'

Kate had never heard those words said to her. Not once in her life. She'd never thought she'd wanted to. And she instinctively knew that Sawyer had never said them to anyone else. She felt a tear roll down her cheek which he brushed away. She opened her mouth to speak, trying to formulate a cohesive sentence, but he reached down and caught her in a kiss, taking her last breath away, before she could. She pulled back, her mind foggy as she slowly opened her eyes, but he was gone, sprinting towards the building, rifle in hand.

And then Kate saw a shadow, out of the corner of her eye, to the west, near the main gate, and everything inside her told her to look.

Goosebumps broke out all over her body as she squinted in the dusk, trying to determine what it was. She realised it was a young Blade, and relaxed a fraction. But something was different, it was wrong somehow. She could feel it. She started walking towards him as he drew closer. She frowned when she saw he was carrying a beaten grenade launcher in his hand.

She turned back to the building Sawyer had disappeared into, and then back to the Blade. She watched, her mind still not catching up as the young Blade lifted the heavy gun on to his shoulder. And then it hit her, the realisation of what was about to happen, and the blood running through her body turned to ice.

She broke into a run, waving her arms desperately, screaming for him to stop at the top of her lungs. But it was too late. Kate saw the huge rocket slice through the air, and explode into a ball of flames as it hit the building Sawyer and Ben were in.

The grenade set off another explosion, deep inside the building, the force of it staggering Kate back as she shielded her face against the blast.

She watched in horror as the entire structure started groaning, a low, guttural whine. And then it seemed to sway in front of her eyes, creaking and screaming in protest as it was rocked to its foundations.

A split second later, it had gone. Nothing left but a crumbling pile of glass, rubble and steel.

All around her fell deathly silent.

'No,' Kate whispered, her entire body utterly numb of feeling. She refused to believe it. Not after they had come so far. He was ok, he was alive, she told herself over and over as she stumbled towards the wreckage, unheeded tears rolling down her face.

Her feet stumbled over the rocky ground as she walked blindly towards what was left of the building. She tripped on a fissure in the road and fell, her knee splitting against broken rock. A sharp bolt of pain rushed through her leg, and it was enough to bring her back to earth, to clear her head. She felt a sudden burst of adrenaline, knowing what she had to do, and she got up, breaking into a run.

'Sawyer!' she shouted.

She stopped at the wreckage and looked up, her heart sinking. No one could have survived it, she thought looking at the mass of broken wood and lethal shards of glass and splintered foundations, not even Sawyer, who had always seemed untouchable to her. She threw herself at the foot of it and grabbed a huge rock, throwing it out of the way. She grabbed another and another, frantically searching the rubble for any sign of him.

'Sawyer!' she shouted again, her voice cracking as she heaved another rock out of the way. But she heard nothing, saw nothing. Her mind told her to stop, that it was useless, as her hands shredded against broken glass and concrete, but still she worked, her heart telling her that he couldn't be dead, that he was just hurt, that she had to keep going. She shouted it in her mind, over and over, trying to drown out the dreadful hysteria that was rising inside her, knocking at the door, threatening to take over.


	28. December 31

**Last chapter, and I really hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for readingx**

**31 December 2032**

The sky above Kate was crystal clear and smattered with millions of stars, smashed crystals on black silk. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the air she breathed tasted crisp and fresh. For December, the weather was mild, and she was thankful for it, as she walked alone through the streets of Central. It was quiet here, and Kate was thankful for that too. She needed some time to herself before she joined the festivities at the park. Everyone would be there now, celebrating the dawn of a new year, and a new life.

Nearly everyone.

Kate heard squeals of laughter carrying faintly on the wind as she turned the corner and crossed the road to the park. She stopped for a moment as her feet stepped on to soft grass and she closed her eyes. She wasn't hiding, she wasn't walking in the shadows. She didn't have to look over her shoulder. She still hadn't gotten used to these small luxuries, so she allowed herself moments of stillness like these to remind her.

Kate inhaled deeply and set off again through the southern overgrowth of the park, heading towards the Serpentine lake. Far off in the distance she could see flickering shadows in firelight. But now the fires weren't flames of destruction, they weren't burning fear through streets and houses. They were warming flames and roasting flames, flames that lit up the world around them.

Kate slowed her pace. She still wasn't ready to join in. She wanted to smile, and she wanted to laugh. But she didn't want to force it. She wanted to mean it, and she wasn't quite there yet.

So much had changed in such a short space of time, Kate still hadn't caught up. There was so much to process, so much grief. And of course there was so much to celebrate. The walls had come down, something Kate had thought she'd never see. Ben Linus was dead. His mangled body was pulled from the wreckage of the demolished building and was left on the stage that was meant for Kate's death. The Blades had left him there.

It wasn't an act of maliciousness, in fact it was the opposite. They waited for some family or friends from Central to claim the body, and give him a decent burial, but no one came. In the end they had burned him, along with the stage, just near where the gates of Central had once stood.

They had buried Penny and Desmond together in the local cemetery, one of the few in the slums where a church still stood and grass grew thick in the gardens. Kate had visited every day since.

As she drew closer to the lake, Kate heard the sound of a low, deep chord sing out across the park, vibrating through her body, forcing her entire being to pay attention. She'd never heard anything like it, it was mournful and joyful and victorious all at once. Suddenly, the solitary horn was joined by the sounds of violins and guitars and drums, crashing together in an upbeat melody.

Music. Kate smiled. She closed her eyes, straining to listen, before picking up her step and following the sound. As she climbed the small grassy hill that overlooked the lake, she stopped again, her mouth dropping open.

She'd never seen a more perfectly beautiful scene as the one before her now.

The lake was covered in tiny floating candles, lighting the ebbs and flows of the lake black and gold. A large group of children sat at the edge, splashing each other, exploring the muddy banks, venturing out bravely into the shallow waters. On the grass beside the lake, all the tables and chairs that were scattered round the park had been brought together to create a huge eating area. Not a seat was left empty now. Each table was surrounded by red-faced, smiling people. Laughing, eating, drinking, moving to the music. There were food stalls all around the eating area, each with a long queue of people waiting to be served, but they weren't waiting impatiently, they were smiling, looking all around them in delight, eyes shining, feet tapping in time with the beat.

Further along was the band, an impromptu rag tag bunch that Kate recognised from the slums. They beamed and laughed as they plucked and strummed and banged on their instruments, dancing around them and in and out of each other. At the foot of the band were hundreds of people dancing, spinning each other around, weaving in and out, laughing so freely.

And that's when Kate broke. She fell to her knees, putting her hands up to her face and she cried, her sobs racking her entire body.

It was such a fine line, such a delicate thread between despair and happiness, she could hardly bear it. It made her breathless. The thought that one single moment could change so much... It was such a fragile thread, it was bound to break. So she almost couldn't look at it.

'What's wrong Freckles? Can't you dance?'  
His soft tones, dryly mocking, and so full of love, made her heart sing, like only his could. She looked up, her face wet with tears, and smiled at him, the smile that she had been waiting for. The one where she could mean it.

'Look who's talking,' she said, her melancholic uncertainty ebbing away. It wasn't funny, she knew, but she couldn't help it. Sawyer wouldn't be dancing, not for a long time.

When they'd first pulled him out of the wreckage, Kate had been convinced he was dead. His right leg was hideously twisted - broken in three places they'd found out later - and his face was covered in so much blood, Kate couldn't see where it was coming from. It was only when he'd opened one eye and caught hers, that Kate knew that somehow, by some absurd stroke of luck, he was going to be ok. They were going to be ok.

He'd closed his eyes then and didn't open them for a long time. Kate had waited, and she had tended to him, just as he'd done for her months ago in the forest. She talked to him and fussed around him, until one morning, a week ago, Sawyer woke up.

Kate patted the ground next to her, smiling sheepishly at her lame attempt at a joke. 'Sit with me for a while,' she said, amused and contrite.

Sawyer dropped his crutches and slowly manoeuvred himself to the ground, the wince on his face telling Kate that the effort hurt, but she didn't move to help him. He wouldn't like that.

They sat for a few moments together in silence, taking in the music and the laughter and the excited chatter. Kate basked in the feeling of Sawyer's presence, his solid warmth beside her. He smelled like apples, and grass, and tobacco smoke. He moved his hand over hers, covering it completely, and a glow of warmth crept up Kate's arm.

She turned to look at him, his skin catching the glow of the fires, his too-long hair falling in his face. Kate looked at the black eye patch that covered his left eye, tufts of clean cotton peeking out of the edge.

'What did the doctor say?' Kate asked apprehensively.  
They rarely talked about it. Sawyer hadn't been able to open his eye since the explosion. He shrugged, not replying, staring straight ahead.  
'Sawyer,' she pressed.  
'It's too soon to say,' he said gruffly.  
Kate nodded and looked back out at the party ahead.

She couldn't be upset about it. He was alive and breathing. At least it wasn't his leg that he might lose. That was healing, and so were all the glass wounds and bruises that covered his body. He was here to face the future with her. That's all Kate cared about.

'What is it?' she asked when he remained silent.  
'Nothing,' he said.  
'It could have been worse,' she said. She didn't want to lecture him, but she wanted to make him see.  
'I know,' he replied, his jaw clenching.  
'What then? You think I'm not going to find you attractive anymore? That it?' Kate said, joking.  
Sawyer didn't reply and Kate's eyes widened, realising she'd hit on something.  
'You are kidding right?'  
Sawyer still didn't say a word, but she felt him stiffen in embarrassment beside her. She laughed despite herself, immediately feeling guilty when he shot her a look of wounded pride. No one ever saw these glimpses of Sawyer besides her and it delighted Kate. The way this strong, tough man, who was a leader of men, could be so… sensitive.

'So you think this is funny,' Sawyer said. The beginnings of a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.  
'What you gonna do?' Kate asked mischievously. 'Make me walk the plank?' she added, pointing at his eye patch.

Sawyer dug his hand painfully into her ribs and Kate squealed, slapping it away.  
'Ok, ok, I'm sorry, bad joke.' she conceded laughing.  
'You're just full of them tonight, ain't you Freckles.' Sawyer said sarcastically, but Kate could tell he had relaxed and that was enough.  
She moved closer to him and pressed into his side, pulling his arm around her and holding it in place across her stomach.

'It's a good day,' she said quietly, the fuzzy warmth of peace spreading through her body. She heard Sawyer's heart, beating loud and strong in his chest, and closed her eyes, letting her body fall into rhythm with his.

'Let's take a walk,' Sawyer said after a while, his voice rumbling through his chest in Kate's ear.  
She opened her eyes lazily. 'Sure you're up to it?' Kate asked.  
Sawyer regarded her, one eyebrow raised and Kate smiled. He had her number. She was the one feeling to sleepy to move.  
'Come on, girl. Got something I wanna show you.'  
'What is it?' she asked, her curiosity stirring.  
'You coming or ain't ya?' he said, grinning, proud of himself.  
Kate got to her feet, wiping the grass from her hands on her jeans. She waited for Sawyer to rise, as she watched the people dancing below. 'You know what the time is?' Kate asked absently.  
It would be new year soon, she didn't want to miss it. She wanted to mark the moment. It was if everyone had been waiting for this night until they could truly declare it a new dawn.

'Think we have an hour,' Sawyer said, as he got to his feet and stood beside her.  
They both started walking down the hill, taking it slow as Sawyer manoeuvred on his crutches. As they walked past the dining area cheers went up, and everyone turned in Kate and Sawyer's direction, lifting up their beer mugs and clapping. Kate looked down. It was like this everywhere she went these days, people wanting to talk to her and thank her. It didn't sit well with Kate. After nearly a lifetime of anonymity, it made her uncomfortable. Besides that, she really didn't think she'd done anything to deserve it.

She glanced at Sawyer. He hated it to, she knew. It was different for him. He'd never been anonymous, he'd been despised, mistrusted. He'd made himself that way. Now everyone wanted to buy him a drink, dinner, shake his hand. But he smiled tightly, and Kate looped her arm around his as they walked, the cheers following in their wake.

They walked past the food stalls, then the band and the dancers, when Kate saw Sayid, breaking away from the crowded dance area, heading their way. He stopped in front of them, his large brown eyes sparkling.  
'Having a good time Ali?' Sawyer asked slyly, glancing over Sayid's shoulder at a pretty woman, eagerly waiting for Sayid to come back, her dark hair tousled from dancing.  
Sayid followed Sawyer's gaze and laughed quietly. His whole body seemed to shrug.  
'I thought I might try living for a change,' he said, his smile broadening.  
Kate had never seen Sayid so happy and relaxed. She had only spent time with him plotting or planning something. Rallying up support, fighting on the frontlines. As he stood in front of Kate now, he looked younger, lighter.

Kate smiled and Sawyer nodded, hitting Sayid with his crutch in lieu of a pat on the back.  
'Where are you two off to anyway?' Sayid asked. 'You're the guests of honour. You can't leave.'  
Kate rolled her eyes. 'Please, no. Not you too.'  
Sayid laughed. 'You should get used to it Kate,' he said.  
'And I don't know where we're going,' Kate said, ignoring that. 'Sawyer's not telling.'  
The two men exchanged a look and Kate rolled her eyes again. 'So Sayid knows?' she asked turning to Sawyer.  
'I needed help,' Sawyer said grinning, looking down at his broken leg.

'I'll let you go then,' Sayid said. He held out his hand to shake Sawyer's, waiting for him to readjust his crutches, and then took Kate's hand, bowing as he kissed it. He turned on his heels, his steps quick as he headed back to his pretty companion.

Kate and Sawyer watched for a moment as the two of them rejoined the throngs of dancers. Kate squeezed Sawyer's arm impatiently. He chuckled quietly muttering something about her lack of patience as they set off again.

They hadn't got more than five steps when Kate heard their names being called. She sighed and looked over at Sawyer. He met her gaze, shrugged, defeated, and they both turned around.

Luckily, it was Cid. Someone Kate didn't mind in the least talking to. He lumbered towards them, a warm smile on his face that Kate automatically matched.

She'd gotten to know Cid well over the last few weeks. To a stranger, he was an intimidating figure. He was a hulk of a man, and his craggy face gave him an air of menace. That was, until he smiled. Then his blue eyes sparkled warmly, softening his face. He was a good man, one of the best, and it made Kate happy that Sawyer had chosen him as his second-in-command, before they had met. She felt safe just being near him, and was so glad to have made a new friend in him.

'Hey,' he said when he caught up to them. 'Party's this way,' he jabbed a thumb behind him.  
'No shit,' Sawyer said dryly, looking at the hundreds… thousands of people behind them that filled up the park. They still came, more and more joining all the time. Kate could see them entering the park from all directions, heading towards the food and the music. Cid grinned and shoved an enormous hand through his hair.  
'I, uh… I was wondering what next boss. Boys have been asking about work. Not sure what I'm supposed to tell them.'  
'Tell them to take a break for a coupla days, let the new year settle in, relax, get drunk. I got a few ideas, but it can wait Cid.' Sawyer looked at the other man purposefully, another silent exchange taking place before Kate's eyes.  
Whatever the message was, Cid took it. He smiled broadly and winked at Sawyer, who scowled at him in return. He saluted Kate goodbye before turning back to the party, heading towards the bar.

Kate and Sawyer turned and resumed their walk, Sawyer taking the lead away from the lake and towards the furthest end of the park.

They walked without hurrying, enjoying each others company, the stars bright above them and the streets quiet and peaceful. They walked down to the river and followed it east, past the long-forgotten parliament houses and abandoned palaces. Finally they came to the Tower Bridge and castle, where Linus had imprisoned Sawyer, where Kate had rescued him and they had escaped the city. It felt like a lifetime ago. Sawyer led her across the castle lawns, into a forested area and suddenly Kate knew exactly where they were going.

Her heart began pounding loudly in her chest and she laughed at herself. She was nervous, she realised. She was never nervous around Sawyer.

And then there it was. The cottage. In front of them in a lush glade, like a painting. The front lawn of it had been cleared, and the soil upturned, ready to be planted. The front door had been fixed and painted. But the ivy she loved so much hadn't been touched. It crawled all over the house, swallowing it in green and crimson. Sawyer stood at the gate, looking half bashful, half incredibly pleased with himself. Kate laughed and walked towards him, pressing herself into him. He let his arms fall behind her back and pulled her close, and they stayed like that for a few moments. Kate was desperate to go inside, but she wanted to stretch out the moment for as long as she could.

Sawyer let go of her and lifted her chin up, raising her face to his. He caught her in a kiss, while pushing them both slowly off the gate. He took a step inside the garden and walked up to the door, waiting for her to open it herself.

Kate stepped forward and grabbed the handle, twisted it and pushed open the door.

It was exactly as she remembered it, but so much better. It had been cleared of all the rubble inside. The stone floors had been swept and cleaned. The walls had been scrubbed. It was empty of furniture. A blank canvas waiting to be painted. She walked into the kitchen and went to the window, and pressed her hand against it. From here she could see the trees of the small forest and the castle in the distance. She could see a small strip of the river as it cut through the city, winding past her old hideout in the docks.

She didn't want to, she tried not to, but Kate couldn't stop herself. She could imagine living a life here, she could see it laid out in front of her, rolling forward. In this place. With Sawyer.

And then she realised, that was exactly what Sawyer was offering her. She turned around and he stood watching her, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed across his chest, almost defensively, as if bracing himself.

'How did you find it?' It wasn't what she wanted to ask. She didn't even care.  
Sawyer shrugged and took a few cautious steps closer into the kitchen. His anxiety was so endearing, Kate had to stop herself from throwing herself into his arms. She moved forward a few steps, her hands crossed nervously behind her.  
'So… you like it?' Sawyer asked.  
'I love it.' Kate said, meeting him squarely in the eyes.  
He smiled, relaxing a fraction. He stood taller and took another step towards her. He looked around the room before his gaze landed back on her. 'You need help packing?' he said, his eyes dancing.  
Kate stepped forward, resting her hands on Sawyer's chest. 'Are we really going to do this?' she asked.

Far away, they heard the cracking of fireworks, heralding the new year.  
'Yeah,' Sawyer said, his lips to her ear. 'You and me Freckles.'  
Kate looped her arms around his neck, and raised her face to look at him. So beautiful, everything she'd never known she'd always wanted.

'Happy new year Sawyer,' Kate said, her voice almost a whisper.  
Sawyer didn't reply, instead capturing her lips in a lingering kiss. They pulled away and smiled at each other, unspoken secret promises.

'So,' Sawyer said, after a few moments.  
Kate raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. 'What next?' she said, completing his sentence.  
She saw the look in his eyes and she understood it completely. Passion mixed with the need for a new adventure, a new target. It was in his blood, and it was in hers to. They would be happy here, in this tiny house. They would make a life for each other here. But there was a whole world out there, cities and towns waiting to be explored. So much to see, like the village in the forest, and Bellic, and Karl. They had to start with London, of course, but after that… Kate's smile grew wider as she thought of the possibilities. Sawyer caught her gaze, and pulled her into his arms, not leaving a millimetre of space between them, his smile matching hers.

'We still gotta get paid, right Freckles?'


End file.
